Kale bomen c. 1944 - 1990

Kees Stoop made this etching, Kale bomen, in the Netherlands without a specified date. The all-over etched lines form a dense mass of small marks. The lines work together to create the illusion of depth, making the trees in the background seem further away. The texture is dry and scratchy. You can imagine running your hand across the surface and feeling all those tiny grooves. The color is mostly grey with some dark areas. Look closely at the base of the trees, and you will notice there are short, diagonal lines in the soil that give a sense of dimension to the ground. Stoop shares a similar sensibility to artists like the American etcher John Marin, who uses dense marks and scratches to create an atmospheric effect, emphasizing process and the physicality of the medium. Ultimately, this image embraces ambiguity, allowing the viewer to bring their own experiences and emotions to the interpretation of the artwork.