Florentine Palaces 1909

Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt made this etching, Florentine Palaces, sometime in the early 20th century. It's a great example of how artmaking can be a kind of translation, turning a real place into a network of tiny lines. Check out the buildings. They're not just drawn, they're built up with these delicate marks, like he's constructing the city all over again, one line at a time. The way the lines vary in thickness and direction creates a sense of depth and texture. You can almost feel the age of the stone. Notice how the light dances on the water's surface, created with these flickering strokes. I love how Nordfeldt lets the blank paper breathe, creating these open spaces that give the image air and light, a technique reminiscent of Whistler. It reminds us that art isn't just about what you put in, but what you leave out.