Heuvel in Rome 1873 - 1931

Etienne Bosch made this etching, Heuvel in Rome, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It's a lovely exploration of tonal variation, a real symphony in sepia. Bosch’s vision feels deeply connected to the physical act of mark-making. Notice the way the etching needle scratches and bites into the plate, creating a dense web of lines to build up shadows and textures. It’s almost like Bosch is building the landscape from the ground up. The clustered foliage to the left is a great example of this, look at how those marks pull together to give a feeling of abundance and density, its quite stunning. I'm put in mind of Whistler's atmospheric landscapes, there's a similar understated sensibility here. Art's an ongoing conversation and these artists both found something special in seeing the world through a particular lens. It embraces the subtle and suggestive, leaving room for our own interpretations and emotions.