Boerenerf met schuur en hooischelven 1870 - 1941

Eduard Karsen made this etching of a farmyard with a barn and haystacks, but when it was made is unknown. The whole piece is like a whispered memory, isn't it? The brown ink creates depth but the image remains transparent. Karsen is not telling you everything. Look at how the lines that define the land in front of the barn shift in direction, pulling your eye further into the picture plane, creating a sense of space and distance. He has created a landscape from strokes and hatches. This focus on mark making as a method of building the composition reminds me of Cezanne. He made such personal work while remaining in conversation with other artists, both past and present. Each tiny mark invites a closer look, an intimate experience, reminding us that art is not just about seeing, but about feeling.