Hek tussen twee bomen 1838 - 1839

Paulus Lauters created this print, "Fence Between Two Trees," using etching and possibly some engraving. Look closely, and you'll see how the etched lines define everything, from the rough-hewn timbers of the fence and gate, to the gnarled surfaces of the trees, and the roughly mortared steps. These are not traditional ‘art’ materials; they are the stuff of everyday rural life. Lauters has used the etching needle with a freedom that gives the whole scene a breezy quality. You can almost feel the sunlight filtering through the leaves. Think of the labor involved in this kind of construction. Trees felled, hewn into planks, assembled into a barrier. Stones quarried and laid. These weren't specialized materials, just the ordinary matter of farmsteads. The image reminds us that art is not just about rarefied skill, but also about a sensitivity to the world around us – a world built with labor and resourcefulness. It’s a celebration of the humble, the handmade, and the directly observed.