Caféterras 1892 - 1928

Johannes Löhr made this print, ‘Caféterras,’ with ink on paper. It's all about the lines, isn't it? The way they cluster and scatter to create this busy cafe scene, it feels so immediate, like he just sat down and sketched it all in one go. Look at how he uses the lines to build up the shadows and forms. They're not precious or overly refined; they're just there, doing their job. Check out the tables in the foreground; the linework is really dense here, making them solid and present. Then, as your eye moves back, the lines thin out, suggesting distance and blurring the background into a hazy atmosphere. I think that the real skill is in knowing when to stop, to leave things unfinished and let the viewer's imagination fill in the gaps. It reminds me a little of James Ensor. Both artists share a knack for capturing everyday life with a kind of frenetic energy, but Löhr's got this quiet, observational quality that’s all his own.