Sloot met knotwilgen 1877 - 1950

This etching, Sloot met knotwilgen, by Barbara Elisabeth van Houten, feels immediate, like a fleeting impression captured in ink. The scene is defined by a network of fine lines, a process of building up tone and texture through careful marks. It's as though she's thinking through the image with each stroke. There’s a real sense of atmosphere here, a moody landscape evoked through the density of the lines. The reflections in the water are particularly evocative; see how they dissolve the forms, blurring the line between solid and liquid. It’s these passages that capture the transient nature of the scene. The bare trees, rendered with a flurry of thin marks, give a stark, almost desolate feel. The way Van Houten uses line reminds me of Whistler, particularly his etchings of the Thames. Both artists share a sensitivity to light and a willingness to embrace the accidental, making art from the everyday.