Sorengo 1885 - 1931

Frederika Henriëtte Broeksmit made this small print, Sorengo, using etching. It's all about the touch, the trace, the subtle gradations achieved through line. There's a quietness to the composition, a stillness that draws you in. The lines are delicate, almost tentative, yet together they build up a sense of depth and form. Look at how the artist renders the foliage; it’s a mass of tangled lines that somehow still feel light and airy. It’s like a dance of the hand across the plate, each mark carrying its own weight and energy. And the way the lines fade and reappear, creating areas of light and shadow, adds to the dreamlike quality. The work reminds me of Whistler, he knew how to evoke a mood through tonal variation. Broeksmit really invites us to slow down, to see the world in its quiet moments, and to appreciate the beauty in the everyday.