Lisieux 1888 - 1934

Willem Adrianus Grondhout made this etching, Lisieux, which, I think, captures a place and a moment. I love how the linear quality of the etching enhances the architectural details while maintaining a sense of light and air. Look at how the crisscrossing lines build up the weight of the stone, and how the steps are defined by these tiny, repetitive marks. It’s almost like a form of meditation. The lone figure on the steps adds to the whole sense of place, but the way their form is rendered from a few quick scratches of line makes them anonymous, anyone, or no one. The image is full of contrasts, the sharp angles of the architecture against the soft tones of the sky, the still, silent stone against the implied movement of the figure. For me, this piece has echoes of Piranesi’s architectural prints, but with a gentle touch.