Rivierlandschap 1892 - 1928

Reijer Lieman made this small etching, Rivierlandschap, sometime between 1900 and 1928. It’s all about line, and the various ways a single line can construct light and shadow, depth and atmosphere. You can almost feel the crispness of the air. I love how the composition seems to emerge from a network of fine lines. There’s real intricacy here. Lieman’s decision to use such delicate strokes creates a sense of quiet intimacy, like a whispered secret shared between the artist and the viewer. I imagine him outside, squinting and observing. What was he trying to capture? The tranquil surface of the water or maybe the way the light filters through the trees? The way the trees are drawn reminds me of the work of other landscape artists working at the time. There is a sense that artists are always in conversation with each other, and with us.