Rotterdam 1888 - 1931

This is Willem Adrianus Grondhout's print of Rotterdam, a tight weave of lines, probably etched or engraved. It's all about touch, isn't it? The whole image hangs on this network of marks, hatching and cross-hatching like a love letter to the city. You can almost feel the grit, the air, the sheer business of the place. The eye skips from the dock worker to the ships, to that ominous weight suspended in the air. Each element is built from the same language of lines. Look closely at the sky; those sweeping curves. They give the impression of both movement and texture. The lines feel so assured, so decisive, yet the overall effect is one of fleeting impression. It reminds me of Whistler, of course, that same commitment to atmosphere and light. But really, it's just Grondhout finding his own way, wrestling with the medium, leaving us with this quiet, powerful moment.