Bomen voor boerderijwoning 1892 - 1928

Johannes Löhr made this small etching, ‘Bomen voor boerderijwoning’, which translates to ‘Trees in front of a farmhouse’, using a technique of layering lines to create tone and form. It’s all about the process, you know, like watching the metal plate slowly reveal an image in the acid bath, line by line. The surface is all texture, a symphony of tiny scratches and bites into the metal. It's not about the glamour of color here, but the raw physicality of the etched line. Look closely at how Löhr builds up the foliage in front of the house, a dense thicket of tangled lines. The house almost disappears behind it, dissolving into the network of branches and shadows. It’s a bit like how we build up layers of experience, obscuring our initial perceptions. Löhr’s work reminds me a bit of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also found poetry in the everyday, or maybe even Van Gogh for his mark making. It's all a big conversation, isn't it? A constant exchange of ideas and images across time. And in the end, we’re left with more questions than answers.