Batavia. Huizen aan de kali met bomen ertussen c. 1921

Willem Witsen made this print of houses on the Kali river, in Batavia, using etching. The lines feel more like gentle suggestions than firm boundaries, as if the scene is emerging from a hazy memory. Looking closely, you can see the plate tone, that’s the overall color of the copper plate, which Witsen hasn’t fully wiped away, so it adds a soft, atmospheric veil over everything. See how the lines vary in thickness and depth, creating a sense of depth and shadow? It’s like he’s feeling his way through the image, responding to the metal rather than dictating to it. Check out the way the roofs are rendered with all those fine lines – it’s almost like he’s mapping the texture of the tiles, but also evoking the humid air and the way the light softens everything. This print reminds me a bit of James McNeill Whistler’s etchings of Venice. Both artists use a similar approach, focusing on atmosphere and fleeting impressions rather than precise detail. For me, prints like this are not just about the scene but about the act of looking, and the way we find beauty in the everyday.