J.G. Beukers op zijn sterfbed 1932

Lodewijk Schelfhout made this etching of J.G. Beukers on his deathbed, and what gets me is the tenderness in those marks. It’s all line, and it's about the weight of the line, its delicacy, and its relative darkness. The artist isn't hiding anything. The process is right there on the surface. It feels raw, not overworked. Those etched lines have a physical presence. Look at the way Schelfhout renders the folds of skin around the eyes and mouth. Each line seems to carry the weight of grief, of watching someone slip away. Then there's that cross, so faint, yet so present. It reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who knew how to use line to convey deep emotion. Both artists show us that art isn't just about making pretty pictures; it's about grappling with the messy, painful, beautiful reality of being human. And sometimes, the most profound statements are made with the simplest of means.