Huis in heidelanschap 1884 - 1936

Hendrik van Bloem made this etching, ‘House in Heath Landscape’, with ink on paper. What I love about etching is how the artist has to think in reverse. Like, they're not just drawing, they're planning the drawing as a print. You know? The real drawing happens on the plate. Bloem's lines are so delicate but assured. Look at the dark density of the foliage on the left. I can imagine him carving that dense pattern of lines, building up the darks, scratching away the lights to build up the three-dimensional presence of the trees. I imagine him outdoors with his tools, squinting in the sunlight, observing the subtle shifts in tone, the play of light and shadow. The lines have a real sensitivity, capturing the rough textures of the tree bark, the soft, almost hazy quality of the air. In that sense, he's in a long conversation with other artists that extends across centuries.