De zwarte schuur 1975

Harrie Gerritz made this etching entitled 'De zwarte schuur', or 'The Black Barn' in English, sometime in the late 20th century. Gerritz, who was born in the Netherlands during the Second World War, is an artist who makes many prints of farm animals and landscapes. His personal experience growing up on a farm clearly shapes his artistic focus. The stark geometric forms of this print, composed of a barn, gate, cow, and field, distill the rural landscape into its essential elements. The contrast of the black barn against the white field is striking, made even more emphatic by the single red line suggesting a door, drawing our eyes to the center of the work. The black barn may evoke the darkness of night, while the white field conveys the purity of daylight. The image may at first seem simple, yet it contains subtle visual cues that can stimulate an emotional response. It is a picture of intimacy and warmth found in the everyday.