Gezicht op de Vecht bij Nichtevecht Possibly 1887 - 1888

This etching is titled 'Gezicht op de Vecht bij Nichtevecht' and was created by Elias Stark. Look closely at how Stark used the etching technique to evoke a tranquil riverside scene. The composition is divided into horizontal bands: the detailed foreground reflections in the water give way to the middle ground with architectural details such as the windmill, and further back, to a light sky. The artist’s marks vary across the image from the clustered, dark lines in the lower corners to the more sparse marks above. Stark plays with texture and light, capturing the reflections on the water with vertical lines. The architectural structures are solid forms rendered through careful, precise lines. The etching is not merely a representation of a Dutch landscape, but an exploration of how various marks can create a sense of depth, texture, and atmosphere. Through the interplay of light and shadow, Stark invites us to consider how our perception of space and form is constructed through simple lines and marks.