Heuvelachtig landschap 1911

Curator: Allow me to introduce "Heuvelachtig landschap," a landscape etching by Hans Thoma, dating back to 1911. Editor: Ah, immediately, it evokes a kind of quiet melancholy, doesn't it? The subtle variations in tone, the muted palette. It feels vast and intimate simultaneously. Curator: Yes, the etching technique really lends itself to that. You see how the lines build the texture of the fields, the gentle curve of the hills in the distance? Thoma was quite masterful with the needle. Editor: It makes me think about the labor involved. The careful scoring of the metal, the bite of the acid. How long would something like this take? It feels like such a meditative, repetitive process. Curator: It's interesting you mention that because Thoma, although sometimes associated with German Expressionism, always maintained a connection to the more traditional aspects of art-making. There’s a groundedness to his work, despite the expressive quality. You almost feel like you can hear the scratching as a transfer of energy across the artistic process. Editor: Perhaps it’s that tension that creates the unique quality? Expressionism often emphasizes individual emotion and interiority, but with this, you're constantly reminded of the physical reality of the land, of the material process. Even with what could feel 'romantic', it all pulls into the ground. Curator: Precisely. And though it’s “realism”, Thoma is after something beyond mere representation. It is as though he aims to capture the feeling of being in the landscape, rather than just recording its appearance. It’s about presence. Editor: It makes me consider what it would mean to spend an extended period of time with the artwork—perhaps even years, working through and altering the etching, reworking and deepening. A collaborative process over an expanded temporality, like farmland! Curator: So it's interesting to be immersed in it through your point of view! It really speaks to the way Thoma connects his artistry to something grand, and outside himself. Editor: Yes. Material meets moment, a kind of harmony emerges that touches both nature and mind. A powerful piece for such an everyday scene!