Bois de Kerchoas 1929

André Dauchez made this print, *Bois de Kerchoas*, and it’s all about the nitty-gritty of mark-making. The network of lines, like the scribbles in a notebook, builds the image from the ground up. Up close, you can see how the etching captures the rough texture of the landscape, the water almost vibrating with the density of marks. It reminds me of Seurat but without the colour of course. It’s like Dauchez is building the world through touch. Look at the way the lines curve and cross to build up the trees. Each tiny stroke feels like a breath. It’s not about a perfect image of the place, but a feeling, a memory of being there. Dauchez knew James McNeill Whistler. You can see a similar sense of tonal harmony, a reduction to essentials. Yet, this is more earthy and textural than Whistler's ethereal nocturnes. It’s a dance between observation and pure mark-making. Art's about finding the questions, not just giving the answers, right?