Landschap met molens bij Haastrecht 1895 - 1937

Jan Sirks created this etching called *Landschap met molens bij Haastrecht*, or *Landscape with Mills near Haastrecht*, with ink on paper. It’s really about mark making isn’t it? The artist uses etched lines to create the impression of a landscape with a windmill, and those marks are what describe the forms, create a sense of depth, and build up tone to capture the light and atmosphere of the scene. If you look closely at the water, you can see all these vertical lines, some are lighter, some are darker, and some are reflected, like the reeds and grasses growing along the bank. The marks feel very direct and simple, but somehow they conjure a whole world. The artist's hand is really present, like a kind of handwriting. Sirks’ print reminds me of work by Hercules Segers, especially the expressive use of line and the atmospheric landscapes. With art, there aren't any fixed meanings, it’s all an ongoing conversation.