Vine-yards called En Noche 1976

Hubertine Heijermans created this etching, Vine-yards called En Noche, in 1976. It’s all about line here, a kind of patient, descriptive mark-making that builds form out of tiny hatches. Looking at it, I can almost feel the scratch of the needle across the plate. The texture is incredible, like a map made by ants. See how the density of the lines shifts to create dark and light? It gives the whole scene this shimmering, almost vibrating quality. There’s a real sense of atmosphere, a stillness that makes you want to step right into the picture. My eye keeps getting drawn to the little buildings nestled in the landscape, they look so cozy. Heijermans reminds me a little bit of Agnes Martin, in the way she finds such a subtle and personal language of expression in these repetitive, almost meditative marks. It’s a beautiful reminder that art isn’t always about grand gestures, it’s about the quiet power of observation and the poetry of process.