Metamorphosis of a plane leaf into a swan floating on the water 1978

Editor: This etching, "Metamorphosis of a plane leaf into a swan floating on the water," made in 1978 by Hubertine Heijermans, depicts exactly what the title suggests: a leaf gradually becoming a swan. There's a quietness to it, despite the complex lines. What do you make of the visual transformation at play? Curator: Ah, yes, it whispers, doesn't it? I’m immediately struck by the elegance of the line work. Heijermans masterfully uses the etching technique to give a sense of movement. Look at how the veins of the leaf morph into the neck of the swan. I see a subtle commentary on the ever-changing nature of reality. Like a half-remembered dream, wouldn't you say? Almost as if one’s mind is capable of altering memories at whim... Editor: I do see that sense of movement and alteration, almost as if it's about time elapsing! Was it common to depict ideas this way at the time? Curator: Well, representational art had been playing with shifting forms for quite some time, though this seems more focused. Unlike Surrealism's more shocking juxtapositions, this transformation feels very organic and subtle, almost melancholic, a leaf reflecting in the water, seeing its future. Do you see that too? Editor: Yes, definitely melancholic! And so delicately rendered. I think I understand it much better now. Curator: Good! Seeing art this way can really give one such insights! A lot of work hides behind our perspectives of the obvious...