Schepen in het water langs een oever met daarop een kerk 1866 - 1910

Frans Hens made this etching, ‘Schepen in het water langs een oever met daarop een kerk’, using brown ink and paper. Hens, who was born in Antwerp, Belgium, came of age during a time of great social and political change. He painted genre scenes, landscapes, portraits and historical subjects, reflecting a deep engagement with the world around him. This print presents a composition of contrasts. Hens positions the church—an enduring symbol of stability and tradition—next to boats, emblems of trade, travel and perhaps even of the disruptions of modern life. The church almost appears like a specter in the mist, while the boats remind us of more worldly and transient concerns. There is a blurring of the natural and the built environment. Hens asks us to consider how these elements coexist and impact one another. The neutral tones evoke a sense of introspection. The artist uses his medium to portray a society in transition, inviting us to consider our own place within its unfolding story.