Stad met stadsmuren op een heuvel in de Provence 1943

Lodewijk Schelfhout made this print of a walled city on a hill in Provence, using etching, and who knows what else. Look closely and you’ll see the way the hatching and cross-hatching creates a whole world from simple means. It's all about process. The texture here is so delicate; it's like a whisper on paper. I'm drawn to the way Schelfhout uses line to build form, creating depth and atmosphere with just the density and direction of his marks. Notice the tree to the left of the city; the lines create depth and shadow, making it feel weighty, solid. This piece reminds me of Piranesi, but smaller, more intimate. Art's just one big conversation, echoing across centuries. Prints like this remind us that art doesn't always have to shout; sometimes the quietest voices carry the furthest.