Dorpsgezicht 1908

This is Dorpsgezicht, a small etching made by Cornelis Vreedenburgh. The mark making in this piece seems economical, the artist using as few lines as possible to conjure a village scene. The texture of the work seems very delicate and light, like a memory. Looking closer, you can see how the artist plays with the contrast between the open areas of blank paper and the more densely worked sections, such as the church and trees. The reflection in the water is also beautifully captured. There is a wonderful tradition of landscape etching in Dutch art, of artists carefully observing the flat landscape and capturing the light and atmosphere, like we see in the work of Rembrandt. It reminds us that art is always an ongoing conversation across time and history, as each artist responds to the world around them.