Arbeiten in Flussbett der Etsch 1906

Reijer Stolk made this piece, "Arbeiten in Flussbett der Etsch", probably with watercolor and ink. It's got these strong outlines, almost like stained glass, filled in with washes of color. I can only imagine Stolk standing there, maybe with a sketchbook, trying to capture all the hustle and bustle of the riverbed. He must have been thinking about how to distill the scene into simple shapes, how to balance the darks and lights to create a sense of depth. Those little figures toiling away, each stroke of the brush seems to breathe life into them. It makes me think about other artists who were simplifying their forms, like the German Expressionists. These artists were all talking to each other, even across time. The conversations are never-ending as artists find inspiration in each other's work and use it to push their own boundaries. Ultimately, each artwork holds multiple interpretations and meanings.