Besneeuwd boslandschap in Ede 1906

Willem Witsen made this etching, Besneeuwd boslandschap in Ede, which translates to Snowy Woodland Landscape in Ede, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It’s all about the delicate balance of light and shadow; the way he works with subtle tonal variations really gives you a sense of the cold, crisp air in this snow-covered forest. Look closely, and you can almost feel the texture of the snow and the rough bark of the trees. See that big tree dominating the foreground? Notice how Witsen uses a dense network of tiny lines to define its form, creating a sense of depth and volume. Those delicate lines, like whispered secrets, create a quiet and meditative space. I find myself thinking about Whistler, an artist who was also deeply interested in the tonal qualities of the natural world and the poetics of landscape. Like Whistler, Witsen reminds us that art is an ongoing dialogue and that meaning is always fluid and open to interpretation.