Gezicht op de kerk van Wijk bij Duurstede c. 1913

Willem Witsen etched 'View of the Church of Wijk bij Duurstede' on a copper plate to make this print. I love the way Witsen's lines describe space – the way they huddle together to suggest depth and texture. This little copper plate is all about touch. Imagine dragging a tool across the surface, a process of physical connection with the material. The brown ink feels like earth, doesn’t it? It is applied so thinly that it’s almost transparent. Look closely and you can see the texture of the copper. Each mark is carefully considered, but the overall effect is one of effortless grace. Notice the marks describing the tree to the left. They're so delicate, like the bare branches are reaching out. Artists like Witsen make me think of Whistler, of course, but there's also something so distinctly Dutch about the subject: a quiet, intimate view of a familiar place. It's like a conversation, a story told in whispers.