Straat in Oud-Kaïro 1920

Philip Zilcken made this etching of a street in Old Cairo, but when? We don't know. What I love here is the way the etched lines create not just a picture, but also a mood. It’s like a faded memory, a dream of a place far away. The texture is so delicate. You can almost feel the dry heat and the dust in the air. Look at how he uses these tiny, scratchy lines to build up the forms, especially in the buildings. It’s all about suggestion, not precision. The way the light falls on the minaret in the distance, for instance, feels both solid and ephemeral, like a mirage. This reminds me a little of Piranesi and his architectural fantasies. But Zilcken brings a painterly sensibility to the etching process. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art is always a conversation, and there’s no final word, just endless possibilities.