Vrouw bladerend door een boek 1880 - 1936

René Janssens made this print of a woman reading a book; her form has been delicately etched in shades of brown. Imagine Janssens gently guiding the etching needle over the metal, each line carefully placed to bring her into being. I wonder what it was like for Janssens, to see her emerge bit by bit, a figure from his imagination taking shape through his hands. Her gaze is so direct, so full of something unspoken. The details in the lines of her clothes and the pages of the book are so intricate, while the background is an active field of tone. It reminds me of the intimacy of Vuillard, or Bonnard's quiet domestic scenes. The way the light catches on her face, the soft curve of her cheek, it’s all so tender, and that’s what connects him to us, across time. Each artist is in conversation with those who came before, borrowing, responding, adding their own voice to the mix. It's like a game of telephone across generations. And we, the viewers, get to listen in.