Vuurbaak van Katwijk aan Zee 1885 - 1931

Frederika Henriëtte Broeksmit made this print, *Vuurbaak van Katwijk aan Zee*, using etching, a technique which is all about controlled accidents. Looking at this work, you can see how the artist’s hand coaxes the image into being, line by line. There’s a real sense of place, even though the color is dialed way down. The hatching on the dunes is so evocative, you can almost feel the wind! I love the little details, like the cross on top of the tower; it's rendered with such care. The architecture of the lighthouse feels so solid, a stark contrast to the flowing, almost scribbled lines of the landscape. Prints like this are all about iteration and subtle variations, Broeksmit must have been influenced by artists like Whistler and other etchers of the time. In the end, it's all about how you keep the conversation going, one mark at a time.