Illustration til Christian Winther, "Chresten og Lene" 1889 - 1926

Waldemar Bøhme made this illustration for Christian Winther's "Chresten og Lene" with delicate strokes. The entire composition is a tapestry of fine lines, isn't it? You can almost feel the scratch of the etching needle on the plate. I can imagine Bøhme hunched over the plate, carefully building up the image, line by line. Do you think he felt like he was building a world? The way the figures are rendered, with such tenderness, it's like he's inviting us into their quiet moment of connection. The contrast in tone creates a dreamlike state. Look at the way he’s described the nature around them – the grasses and the trees. Those marks feel so knowing! Bøhme is in conversation with other illustrators, for sure. They all have an urge to communicate a feeling, an atmosphere, a sense of place. It’s so freeing to see how artists influence each other across time, it's like a big conversation. There is no end, just beginnings and the possibility of new dialogues.