Schuren in de Binckhorst in Den Haag 1888 - 1934

Willem Adrianus Grondhout made this etching of sheds in the Binckhorst in The Hague. Look at how Grondhout renders the sky; dense, diagonal hatching presses down, but the mark-making is light, almost like it could be erased. I love seeing how an artist approaches mark-making, whether it’s painting or etching, as a process. It's like watching someone think through the tip of their brush or etching needle. The buildings and trees have such a solid, grounded feel by comparison. They are rendered with shorter, more broken lines, suggesting a rough texture. Focus on the building just left of center. See how Grondhout uses vertical strokes to create the impression of planks or some kind of construction? I can almost feel the splintery wood. It’s like he is channeling Whistler's more moody landscapes, but with a Dutch sensibility.