Plowing at Foot of Holy Hill Church c. 1930s

Hulda Rotier Fischer made this print, called 'Plowing at Foot of Holy Hill Church,' using strokes of black ink to conjure a stark landscape. It’s all about the touch of the artist, building an image from many tiny marks. There's something about the texture here, the way the hill rises, almost like a dreamscape. You can see the pressure of the pencil or pen, each line adding to the mood. The church seems to float ethereally. The mark-making feels very intuitive. Notice the density of the lines, especially around the trees and the church. The density of marks creates depth and a kind of emotional weight, it is like the artist is building the scene up out of pure feeling. Fischer's use of light and dark reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz, both artists have this knack for turning everyday scenes into something monumental and deeply felt. It makes you think about how we see the world, and how art can open up new ways of experiencing it.