Twee voorstellingen op straat 1888 - 1937

Felix Hess’s small print, "Twee voorstellingen op straat" gives us two street scenes in one frame rendered in a complex latticework of lines and shadows. I love to think about how the artist might have approached this work, etching with acid and experimenting with different techniques to achieve the effects they wanted. The bottom scene is bustling with market goers, while in the top image, a woman and child lounge. It’s like two worlds, each with their own logic and rhythm, coexisting on the same plane. The network of marks feels so deliberate; you can sense the artist's hand guiding the tool across the plate, deciding where to add depth, texture, and shadow. The image is teeming with life, and the lines somehow give shape to the subtle interactions between people and the environment. When we look at a work like this, we’re engaging with a visual language that has evolved over centuries, where each artist builds upon the discoveries of their predecessors. By embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, Hess opens up the space for multiple readings and meanings.