Boerderij 1913

Gottfried van Pelt made this print, Boerderij, using etching. I love the way etching encourages you to see the world in layers, much like memory itself. The texture here is incredible; it's all about touch, even though it's just a visual medium. Look at the roof of the farmhouse, for example. See how the lines build up, mimicking the rough, organic texture of the thatch? It's like van Pelt is inviting you to reach out and feel the weight and density of the material. The tree, too, has this amazing skeletal quality. The bare branches reach out like fingers, each one a delicate, spidery line. There's a real sense of the artist's hand in every mark, a feeling of intimacy and connection. It reminds me of the work of Käthe Kollwitz, who also explored the emotional weight of everyday life through printmaking. But what do I know? Art is just a big conversation, and we're all just chipping in.