Aquarium, Artis 1936

Pieter Willem van Baarsel made this print, Aquarium, Artis, using etching. It’s a way of making marks that feels a bit like drawing, only with acid and metal. Look at how the etched lines create the texture of the rocks and the scales of the fish. See how the lines vary in thickness and direction. I think Van Baarsel really understands how to create depth and volume just through lines. The details on the catfish's face are great - see those whiskers? It’s interesting how this artist chose to depict an aquarium, a contained environment, with such a loose, gestural technique. In this way he acknowledges the artificiality of the aquarium setting whilst evoking a real sense of the movement of water and the life it contains. This print reminds me a little of M.C. Escher. Both artists share a fascination with pattern and the interplay between representation and abstraction, although Escher’s prints are far more surreal and illusionistic. Ultimately, this work shows how even a seemingly simple subject like an aquarium can be a site for exploring the complexities of seeing.