Lijnbaansgracht - Amsterdam - Druilerig weer (VI) 1997

Karel Wetselaar created this print of the Lijnbaansgracht in Amsterdam using etching. Wetselaar was born in 1935, a time when The Netherlands was on the brink of significant historical events, including the Nazi occupation during World War II, which must have shaped his artistic vision. Here, a building looms over a canal on a gloomy day. Note the textures and details that Wetselaar captures, from the brickwork to the reflections in the water. There is something incredibly personal in the artist’s decision to portray this place, the canal with its weathered buildings. The canal house seems burdened by time, its foundations sinking into the water, reflecting the weight of the past. Wetselaar is not just showing us a place; he's inviting us to reflect on the lives and histories embedded in the landscape. We are left to consider how history and memory shape our sense of place.