Gezicht op het Piazza dei Signori before 1913

This etching, "Gezicht op het Piazza dei Signori," by Maria van Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, captures a street scene, perhaps made on the spot, with a directness and simplicity that I admire. Look at how she uses the etching needle almost like a pencil, sketching out the architecture and figures with a lively, broken line. The buildings are solid, yet the details dissolve into a network of marks. The texture of the stone archway in the foreground is beautifully rendered with a variety of short, hatching strokes, giving it a rough, tactile quality. She creates depth with just a few, carefully placed lines. It reminds me a bit of Piranesi, but without the drama and theatricality. Instead, there’s a quiet intimacy, a sense of being present in that moment, watching the everyday life of the piazza unfold. It speaks to the power of simple observation and the beauty of the unadorned line.