Op den koraalbodem 1880 - 1946

Henri van der Stok made this print, Op den koraalbodem, which translates as 'On the coral bottom', with ink on paper. Imagine him, maybe in his studio, dreaming of the ocean. Look at all the tiny, wriggly lines—aren't they amazing? They show all the textures of the reef. It feels like he’s carving away at the block with real focus, digging deep into the image. I think he's trying to capture not just what he sees, but how it feels to be down there, surrounded by all this life. All the different shapes and sizes of the sea creatures are so interesting! It reminds me of other artists who’ve been fascinated by the natural world. It’s like all artists are talking to each other across time, sharing their visions and inspiring each other. Every line is a little discovery, a tiny moment of seeing and feeling the world around us.