Vissersboten op kalme zee 1896 - 1938

Jos Wins made this etching, Vissersboten op kalme zee, with ink on paper, and it feels like a very intimate, almost whispered observation. The limited palette of blacks, grays, and whites, is like a study in tone, not quite a monochrome, but not far off it either. The etching is incredibly detailed, particularly in the way Wins describes the textures of the boats. See how the surfaces appear almost tactile, with a real sense of the grain of the wood, and the various layers of wear and tear from the water. Look closely at the reflections in the water. Those short, broken marks, capturing the movement and ever changing surface of the sea, really bring the boats to life. Wins's technique feels connected to the work of artists like Whistler, who also found poetry in the subtle nuances of tone and texture. There is no real attempt to offer closure here, just a dedication to the endless possibilities of perception.