Koemarkt 1924

Willem de Zwart made this lovely etching, Koemarkt. Look at how the monochromatic palette and delicate hatching capture the subdued atmosphere of the livestock market. I imagine the artist, carefully manipulating the etching needle, line by line, to create texture and form. Each stroke is a thoughtful mark. You feel the bustling market scene come alive with a quiet intensity. I can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the plate, translating the scene through touch and vision, creating the figures in such a small space. It makes me think of Whistler or maybe even some of the other Dutch masters, all conversing through marks on a surface. A conversation and exchange of seeing that echoes through time. There's something so incredibly human and imperfect about this method. It gives the artwork room to breathe and encourages endless readings.