Sneeuwlandschap met bospad c. 1908

Willem Witsen made this etching, "Sneeuwlandschap met bospad", using a monochrome palette to conjure a winter scene. You can feel the biting cold. Look closely at the trees. See how each branch is articulated with the finest mark making. Witsen understood that a work could be both a representational landscape, and an arrangement of lines and shapes. In some ways, it's not so different from the way a child might draw. I love the dark and light areas of the snow, and how the lightest parts really make the image sing. The composition is both structured and intuitive. The path leads the eye into the dark wooded area. Doesn't it make you want to take a walk? It reminds me of James Ensor, another artist who wasn't afraid of the dark. Ultimately, "Sneeuwlandschap met bospad" is an invitation, an ongoing conversation between artist and viewer.