Vrouw met bloemen op haar schoot 1905

Willem Adrianus Grondhout made this etching on paper of a woman with flowers in her lap. The artist seems to be sympathetic to this woman. The flowers almost seem to represent the weight of her worries. How the heaviness of the flowers seem to be a load for her to carry. I find it so interesting how one artist can use such minimal material in the etching - lines, crosshatching, and shading - to express so many feelings. It makes you want to reach out and help her. Artists are magpies, constantly gathering materials and inspiration from the world around them. In turn, the artist can transform feelings of heaviness into something beautiful, and maybe ease her burden. I wonder if he gave her the picture afterwards.