Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet in Parijs 1884 - 1931

Martin Monnickendam created this print, Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet in Paris, using etching, those tight, nervous lines just swarm over the paper. It’s like he’s wrestling the architecture into existence. Look closely and you can see how the etched lines define the light and shadow, giving the image a kind of shimmering depth. The texture is alive; the buildings almost breathe. I love how the density of the marks creates the sense of a bustling Parisian street. See the way the lines thicken and swirl around the church tower? It’s like the whole scene is caught in a whirlwind of energy. This piece reminds me a little of Piranesi, the way he used etching to create these fantastical, almost overwhelming architectural spaces. But Monnickendam’s got a grit and a realness to him, a sense of immediacy. Both show us that art isn't about perfect representation, it's about capturing a feeling, a moment, a way of seeing.