Walvis gestrand tussen Katwijk en Scheveningen, 1617 1917 - 1919

This tiny etching, made in 1617 by A.B. van Deinse, depicts a whale beached between Katwijk and Scheveningen, and the lines are so delicate, like whispers on paper. It's all about the process of witnessing, isn’t it? Look at the mass of scribbled lines that make up the landscape and the flurry of activity around the whale. The whale itself is rendered with such care, a smooth, bulbous form against the scratchy background. I keep thinking about the belly of the whale, this huge, smooth expanse, and the people crawling all over it. It's like the land has given birth to something monstrous and magnificent. It makes me think of Piranesi, all those tangled lines and impossible spaces, but here, instead of architecture, it's nature that overwhelms. And the whale is like a canvas onto which we project all our anxieties and wonder. Art, like life, is an ongoing conversation, and this little etching is a poignant contribution.