Afgemeerde schuiten 1889 - 1937

Margaretha Mack created this small print of boats with simple lines and muted tones, which makes me think about her mark-making. I imagine her standing there, looking, deciding which lines to commit to the plate. Was she methodical, or did she dive in, letting the image emerge from the scratching? The density of lines creates a kind of hazy atmosphere, blurring the distinction between the boats and the water. I feel a stillness. The varying weight of the lines is interesting. Some are bold and assertive, defining the edges of the boats, while others are finer, suggesting the subtle play of light and shadow. It's like she's feeling her way through the scene, mapping out its structure and texture with delicate touches. It makes me think about other printmakers, like Whistler, who also captured atmospheric effects with etching. There’s something so satisfying about this process of translating a three-dimensional scene into a two-dimensional image through the language of lines. Artists are always talking to each other, across time, through their work. Each mark is a whisper in that ongoing conversation.