Gezicht op de Nijl met zeilboten 1890 - 1930

Philip Zilcken made this 'Gezicht op de Nijl met zeilboten' as an etching, so we can assume on a metal plate, and printed on paper. Look at the scene; it's like he's trying to catch a memory, or a feeling, of this place on the Nile. The way he scratches those delicate lines, it's all about suggestion, not a perfect picture. There's an openness in the cross hatching, see how the lines create form and shadow. I love how the marks catch the light on the water, with all those scratchy little lines reflecting the buildings. Those buildings themselves, they're not precise, are they? They're more like shapes, hinting at the architecture. It reminds me a little of Whistler, in the way he's using etching to capture a fleeting impression. What I appreciate most is that it's less about showing us exactly what's there, and more about evoking a mood, and a place.