Paris 1888 - 1934

This image of Paris, by Willem Adrianus Grondhout, is an etching – so it's all about the line. Looking at the hatching and cross-hatching, it's clear that the artist is thinking about tonal variation, the push and pull of dark and light. There's a really interesting density to the mark-making, an all-over-ness that suggests a considered working process. The lines aren’t precious; instead, they build up to create form and space. It’s almost as if the artist has allowed the process to dictate the image. Look at the way the lines around the Notre Dame Cathedral begin to suggest the way light reflects from stone. See how the figures on the bridge are created with the lightest touch, a simple gesture of the artist's hand. It puts me in mind of other artists, such as Whistler, who were interested in the atmospheric effects that printmaking could offer, in capturing the fleeting moment in a permanent form. But Grondhout has his own style. It's all about trusting the process, embracing the unexpected, and letting the image emerge through a conversation with the materials.