Vijf studies van landschappen en een zittende vrouw 1892 - 1928

Johannes Löhr made this etching, "Vijf studies van landschappen en een zittende vrouw," using a network of thin lines to capture light and form. It's like a collection of sketches all on one plate, which I love - a little sampler of scenes and figures. Look at how Löhr uses crosshatching to build up the shadows, especially in the foliage around the seated woman. The texture is incredibly delicate. I always feel like, when you're working with etching, you're sort of wrestling with the material, trying to get it to do what you want. There's a bit of alchemy involved in coaxing these images out of the plate. See the way the lines vary in thickness and direction? It’s almost like the artist is thinking out loud, letting us in on their process. Löhr's work reminds me a bit of Whistler, who was also interested in capturing these fleeting moments, and subtle tonal variations. It's like they’re both trying to capture a feeling more than a literal representation. Art is about asking questions, not giving answers, and this piece is full of beautiful, open-ended possibilities.