Tuintafelt c. 1944 - 1990

Kees Stoop created 'Tuintafelt' using etching. Through the delicate lines, Stoop invites us into a private, contemplative moment, perhaps reflecting the quietude of post-war life in the Netherlands. Stoop was born in Grijpskerke in 1929, and became a teacher in Vlissingen, he created this image without the use of colour, which heightens the sense of intimacy, it prompts a focus on form and texture. The garden table, set for tea, is a stage for domestic ritual. Look closely and feel the weight of the unsaid, the unspoken stories brewing like the tea in the pot. The choice of a commonplace scene elevates the everyday, hinting at themes of memory, absence, and the quiet dignity of ordinary life. Stoop gently pushes against the grand narratives of art, finding beauty in the unadorned. Consider the quiet revolution of artists finding solace and significance in the quotidian, as Stoop asks us to find depth in the simple act of taking tea.