Rotsige kust bij St. Andrews, Canada c. 1915 - 1919

Willem Witsen made this etching of a rocky coastline in St. Andrews, Canada. The tones are soft and muted, creating a hazy atmosphere. You can see how the lines have been etched into the plate to create texture and depth, a real process of working into the material. The color palette is so earthy, ochres and browns that give it a very serene, but also kind of somber feel. It’s interesting how the artist uses lines and hatching to suggest the forms of the rocks and the water. Look closely and you can see the individual marks that build up the image, like a kind of visual code. There’s a real sense of the artist working with the material, letting the process guide the outcome. This print reminds me a little of Whistler's etchings, particularly in its attention to atmosphere and tonal values. Like Whistler, Witsen seems interested in capturing a particular mood or feeling, rather than a strictly representational image. It’s a very poetic work, full of subtlety and nuance.