Gezicht op met sneeuw bedekte tuin 1909

Theodore Roussel made this print, ‘Gezicht op met sneeuw bedekte tuin’ or ‘View of a snow-covered garden’, using etching – a process which relies on careful mark making to bring an image into being. There’s a quietness to this winter scene, a contemplative mood achieved with a monochrome palette. Look at how the dense thicket of bare trees and the snow-laden hedge in the foreground create a textured surface. Roussel coaxes out so many tones from the metal plate through the varying depth and density of his etched lines. It’s a study in contrasts: the light of the snow against the dark of the trees, the sharpness of the branches against the soft, blurred textures of the snow drifts. See the way the fence fades into the background, almost disappearing under the weight of the snow. This print reminds me of Whistler’s etchings of the Thames; both artists shared an interest in capturing atmospheric effects through tonal variation and detailed observation. Ultimately art is about seeing, and it’s up to each of us to bring our own experiences to it.