Gezicht op het Rijksbankgebouw, te Stockholm before 1971

Willem Swidde made this etching of the Rijksbankgebouw in Stockholm sometime in the late 17th Century. It's so precise, like he’s building the image one tiny mark at a time. You can feel the labor, but the image is airy, not at all overworked. Look closely at the way Swidde uses these delicate lines to construct form and space. The whole image shimmers, almost vibrating with graphic energy. The clouds in the sky are particularly interesting – just hatched lines, really, but they give a strong sense of depth. And then there are the figures in the foreground, each rendered with a few quick strokes that feel almost calligraphic. Swidde reminds me a bit of Piranesi, who was working a bit later, but with a similar eye for architectural detail and a fascination with the way light plays across surfaces. But where Piranesi is dramatic and brooding, Swidde is more restrained, more focused on the quiet beauty of everyday life. Both artists show how art can give us new ways of seeing and experiencing the world around us.