Tanjore Possibly 1914

Wijnand Otto Jan Nieuwenkamp made this etching of Tanjore. It's a study in line, and how line can create depth and texture, almost like a sculpture. Look at the way the lines build up to create the shadows of the trees, and the worn stone of the steps. See how the stone figure in the temple is barely defined, but it's presence is palpable. The marks aren't precious or overly laboured. Instead there's a directness, like the artist is thinking through the process of making an image, one line at a time. The simplicity reminds me of some of Guston’s late work, where he embraced a kind of rough-hewn style. With Guston, like here, the process becomes part of the image itself, a record of the artist’s hand and mind at work. There's a real beauty in that honesty.