Grachtenhuizen aan de Sint-Olofssteeg in Amsterdam Possibly 1915

Wijnand Otto Jan Nieuwenkamp made this etching of canal houses in Amsterdam. Look at the marks, the density of lines, and the tonal range of the print itself! I can almost see Nieuwenkamp hunched over a plate, working with acid, building up the image bit by bit. I wonder what it was like to stand on that spot and look at these canal houses. I imagine him trying to capture the way the light hits those buildings. The windows! So many windows! I feel like I’m staring at a puzzle, maybe something like a Sol LeWitt but with way more charm and a lived-in feel. It reminds me of Piranesi’s architectural prints, but less monumental and more...domestic? Nieuwenkamp’s buildings look like they have stories to tell, laundry hanging out to dry, all crammed together. A very Amsterdam kinda vibe. And that water! You just know the reflections are never still.