Sleepy Valley Farm 1936

Gyula Zilzer created this black and white etching called ‘Sleepy Valley Farm’ sometime in the mid-20th century. With a scrappy, anything-goes approach, Zilzer scratches lines to build up tone and to describe the forms of the houses, animals and children, and even a car. It’s like he’s feeling his way through the scene. Check out the chickens in the foreground, for example. They’re rendered with this loose, almost frantic energy, which is actually pretty perfect for capturing the chaotic vitality of a farm. This raw, immediate quality gives the print its charm. The etching feels personal, like a memory being sketched directly from the mind onto the plate. It reminds me a bit of Martin Lewis, another artist who wasn’t afraid to let the process show. Like Lewis, Zilzer embraces the unpredictable nature of printmaking, turning potential ‘mistakes’ into expressive marks. Ultimately, it’s this openness to chance and imperfection that makes the artwork so engaging.