Weg met huizen 1867 - 1935

"Weg met huizen," or "Away with houses," by Maurits van der Valk, is a small print, made with etching. It’s like a tiny window into another world, using simple lines to suggest something solid and real. The texture here is all in the lines. See how they build up, cross over each other to create depth and shadow? The artist isn't trying to hide the process, it's right there on the surface. It's raw. Take a look at the roof. The marks are so close together, they almost become one. This area makes you feel the weight and age of the building. When I look at a work like this, I think about other printmakers like Whistler, who also loved to capture these quiet, everyday scenes, and embrace the immediacy of the medium. There is no right or wrong way to look at a work like this, but for me, it’s about the artist showing you their hand and letting you into the process.