Gezicht op een markt in Vlaanderen 1907

Jules de Bruycker made this print of a Flemish market scene sometime between 1870 and 1945, using etching techniques. It's all about the layering of lines and how they create depth and texture. You can almost feel the hustle and bustle of the market through the sheer density of marks. Look at the way he’s built up the scene. The texture of the architecture is so different to the foreground, where the marks are looser and more gestural, like the artist is trying to capture movement. Then your eye travels back to the hanging goods, where the lines become more dense again and give a sense of weight. There’s a kind of grubby beauty in the tonal range. It makes me think of Piranesi’s architectural prints, but with a much more human element. It's like de Bruycker is showing us not just the place, but the energy of a community. It's a reminder that art isn't just about pretty pictures, it’s about how we see and experience the world.