Vijver met zwanen 1890 - 1935

This is “Vijver met zwanen,” or "Pond with Swans," by Johannes Josseaud. It's an etching, so Josseaud would have covered a plate with wax, scratched an image into it, then dipped it in acid, which bites away at the exposed metal. Then he'd ink the plate and press it onto paper. Look at the way the mass of trees at the back is suggested with a flurry of tiny marks, almost like the page is vibrating. Then, in the foreground, the swan on the left is described with a few long, curved lines. See how its neck mirrors the shape of its reflection. I love the feeling of atmosphere Josseaud creates with just a few simple marks, it reminds me of Whistler. Josseaud is less concerned with detail than with capturing a mood. This is art as conversation –Josseaud, riffing on Whistler, who himself was inspired by Japanese prints, and so on. It’s all part of an ongoing back-and-forth.