Impasse des Boeufs in Parijs 1884 - 1931

Martin Monnickendam made this etching, Impasse des Boeufs in Paris, where he’s really digging into the lines. Look at how he’s built up this crumbling Parisian street scene. I can imagine Monnickendam feeling the weight of history there. It’s like he's trying to capture a feeling more than a photographic likeness. There’s a real love for texture here. The rough brickwork, the peeling plaster – you can almost feel it. And that light! It’s not just about showing us what’s there, but about how light shapes and transforms a place. It makes me think of other artists who were wrestling with similar ideas, like James Ensor or Käthe Kollwitz. It’s like they’re all in this conversation, pushing and pulling at the boundaries of what art can do. Ultimately it’s up to us to keep the conversation alive. What does it mean to you?