Boerderij 1915

Lodewijk Schelfhout made this print called "Boerderij," that's Farm in Dutch, with etching around 1918. I love how he's built the image from a network of sharp, clear lines. It's like he's finding the shapes and forms hidden inside the scene. Looking closely, you can see how each line plays a crucial role. Notice the way the strokes build up density and texture, like the thatched roofs or the leaves on the trees. The contrasts give the image a palpable sense of depth and substance. Then see how the soft glow of the sky emerges out from the busy lines. The bold strokes of the scene remind me of the graphic power of someone like Käthe Kollwitz, who also explored themes of nature and the lives of ordinary people. Art's like an ongoing conversation, always reflecting and reimagining what came before. And this piece invites us to ponder the quiet beauty of the rural landscape and the skill of Schelfhout in capturing a little piece of it.