Vlerkprauwen op het strand - Bali 1937

Here we have Nieuwenkamp's ‘Outrigger Canoes on the Beach – Bali’ made with etching on paper. It’s all about the line here; a real slow, deliberate build-up of detail that gives the image a weighty density. Look at the hull of the boat closest to us: see how it’s been shaded using only horizontal lines? I love how the artist has used hatching to create the illusion of depth and texture – the way he’s built up the shadows under the boat really makes it feel like it’s sitting on the sand. Check out the smaller outrigger boat too, the detail in the decorative carvings, the gentle slope of the beach in the background. It's a real testament to the power of observation, and patience! It reminds me of some of Bruegel’s etchings, that same methodical, almost obsessive approach to detail. But unlike Bruegel's busy scenes, Nieuwenkamp’s work has a stillness, a kind of serene quietude. Like looking at a perfectly preserved memory.