Landschap met rookpluimen 1916

Jean Emile Laboureur made this print, Landschap met rookpluimen, using etching, a process that’s all about lines. Look at how he builds the scene, not with color but with these tiny, deliberate marks. It's like he’s thinking through each line, letting the image emerge through the sheer act of making. The texture here is all in the cross-hatching. See how he uses denser lines to suggest shadow and volume? It’s almost like he’s sculpting the smoke with these little scratches. And that smoke – it's so evocative! Those rising plumes, rendered with such delicacy, give the landscape a real sense of atmosphere, like you can almost smell the remnants of something burning. Laboureur's process reminds me a bit of Piranesi, that master of architectural fantasy. Both artists use the precision of line to create these immersive worlds, full of detail and suggestion. Ultimately, I think this piece shows us that art isn't just about what you see, but how you see it.