Gezicht op de toren van de Klingentor, te Rothenburg ob der Tauber 1902 - 1965

This etching of the Klingentor Tower in Rothenburg ob der Tauber was made by Willi Foerster, sometime between 1892 and 1965. The process of etching can be really intuitive, you know? It's all about the scratches you make, and how they catch the light. Looking at this piece, the lines are so delicate, almost like whispers. I'm drawn to how Foerster uses these tiny marks to build up the image of the tower, brick by brick. The texture is subtle, but it's there, giving the tower a sense of age and solidity. See how the lines get denser in the shadows, creating depth? It reminds me a little of Piranesi, but with a softer touch, though I see a definite process of close looking and an interest in the way that buildings dominate the world around them. Ultimately art's about the ongoing conversation that never ends, just keeps turning back on itself in surprising ways.