Portret van Nel Wouters, de krant lezend 1911

Rik Wouters made this etching of Nel Wouters reading a newspaper, but we don’t know exactly when. What I love about etching is how the artist gets to scratch into the surface, making these delicious textures that feel intimate, like whispers on the page. Look at the marks that describe Nel’s face – these quick, looping lines that bring her into focus. It's like the artist is thinking aloud, figuring out the form right there on the plate. The ink is caught in the furrows, emphasizing the tactile quality. The chair she’s sitting on is rendered with the same casual energy, the lines scribbling out a sense of place. Notice how the newspaper becomes a wall of vertical marks that almost obscures Nel's face. Wouters really lets us in on his process, making the whole thing feel immediate and alive. I'm reminded of Bonnard who shared this everyday subject matter and interiority. In the end, art is about the conversation, the endless back-and-forth between artists across time. It’s rarely a statement, more like a question, a possibility, an openness.