Bospad met berken 1931

Simon Moulijn made this image of a path with birch trees, most likely in the early 20th century, using etching. What I see right away is the all-overness of the mark-making, how every part of the image is worked. I think of etching as a kind of drawing, but the acid gives the lines a bite. Look how he’s built up this scene with countless tiny marks and lines. It’s like he’s describing every leaf and twig, but somehow, it’s not overwhelming. The texture is so rich, especially in the foreground. I wonder if he used different tools to get those varied lines. The way the path fades into the distance is really skillful. Notice how the trees become more abstract as they recede. It’s all about creating depth and atmosphere with these tiny scratches. There is something about the way it looks both detailed and dreamlike that reminds me of some of Samuel Palmer’s etchings. But Moulijn is doing his own thing, taking us on a quiet walk through his forest. Art like this reminds us that beauty can be found in the everyday, if we just take the time to look closely.