Bouwput met steigers 1892 - 1928

Johannes Löhr made this print, 'Construction Pit with Scaffolding,' using etching, a technique where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid. Look closely, and you can see how the network of lines creates a sense of depth and texture. Löhr's choice of subject matter is key. He pictures a construction site. The scaffolding dominates the composition, an intricate web of timber that testifies to human effort. The materials themselves, wood and metal, carry their own inherent qualities of strength and malleability. They're arranged with clear purpose, like the organization of labor. The scene evokes a feeling of bustling activity; there are figures hard at work on the skeletal structure of a building-to-be, all underpinned by the relentless expansion of urban space and the labor required to build it. It's a striking choice. Löhr asks us to consider the immense amount of work involved in production, often overlooked. He elevates the everyday into art, reminding us that meaning lies not just in the finished product, but in the processes of making.