Boerderij aan de waterkant 1906

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this little etching of a farm by the water – I imagine him outdoors, squinting as he sketches, trying to capture that misty light. There's something about etchings, the way they seem to emerge from the shadows, that feels so intimate. The lines are delicate but sure, like whispers on paper. I bet Vreedenburgh loved watching the acid bite into the metal, revealing the image bit by bit. Maybe he was thinking about the Dutch Masters, like Rembrandt, who were also obsessed with light and shadow. The way the house and trees are reflected in the water is so soft and dreamy. It's like he's inviting us into a secret world, a quiet moment by the water's edge. Artists like Vreedenburgh show us how to see the poetry in everyday life, and how to pass that vision on.