Havenkade met lantaarnpalen in Rotterdam 1888 - 1934

Willem Adrianus Grondhout made this etching of Havenkade met lantaarnpalen in Rotterdam using black ink. I like to imagine him outside at night, squinting in the dark, feeling a bit lonely and trying to capture something about the quays and the wetness of the street. The network of marks is so delicate, like a spider's web, each line carefully considered and placed. You can almost feel the air of the city and the mood of the evening. I get a sense of the artist's hand moving across the plate. It’s like he’s trying to record a feeling or an impression more than a literal description. You can see the influence of artists like Whistler or even the later work of someone like Mondrian, where they are trying to capture the essence of the city. It’s a conversation across time and place and Willem is part of it, etching his bit.