Ex libris van Van Duyl 1927

This Ex libris van Van Duyl was made by Lodewijk Schelfhout in 1917. It looks like it’s made with etching or engraving, which is a very different process than painting, right? But there’s a similar kind of pressure involved, a tactile engagement with the surface. I’m thinking about Schelfhout bent over the plate, pushing the tool through the metal, line by line, to create this dove with its wild, sunburst halo, perched over the words Ex Libris. The intensity of focus that is required to make something so small! What was he listening to? What kind of light was in the room? I love the stark contrast of the black lines against the white paper, the way the image is both delicate and strong. It reminds me of other printmakers who have used similar techniques to create intricate and detailed images, like Dürer or Rembrandt. I feel like artists are always in conversation with each other, across time, inspiring and challenging one another.