Ponte Vecchio in Florence 1914

Herman Heuff made this etching of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence at an unknown date. It's all in these tight, scratchy marks, a real labor of love to create this image. The thing that grabs me is the bridge's reflection. Look at how those etched lines pool together, darker and denser than anywhere else. That's where the magic happens, where the solid stone melts into something wavering and unreal. Heuff's not trying to trick you with illusionism; you can practically feel the needle digging into the plate. Yet, that dark, blurry reflection gives the whole scene a dreamlike quality. It’s a reminder that even the most solid structures are always in flux, mirrored and distorted by the world around them. It makes me think of Piranesi, but with a touch of melancholy. Art, like a reflection, gives us back something familiar, but always a little bit changed.