Molen aan water, Wijk bij Duurstede c. 1906

This small etching, Molen aan water, Wijk bij Duurstede, was made by Willem Witsen sometime between 1880 and 1923. It is one of those monochromatic landscapes that gives off a quiet feeling, and makes me think about looking, and artmaking, as a process of feeling and remembering. What strikes me most is the texture. It is almost velvety, the shadows in the water. You can almost see Witsen rocking the plate in the acid bath to get that aquatint effect. There is an appealing contrast with the dry-point lines of the windmill, and the marks above in the sky. It's easy to imagine the artist hunched over a metal plate, dragging a needle, and making marks to define a moment and a place. The work of someone like Whistler comes to mind here. Both artists found inspiration in the quiet corners of the landscape and turned those places into tonal poems. Ultimately, this image feels so peaceful and still. Yet it also holds so much potential energy, like the promise of a breeze.