Huizer molen op de Molenberg 1888 - 1931

Willem Adrianus Grondhout made this print of a windmill on the Molenberg, using etching. The first thing that strikes me is the line work, a delicate dance of dark against light. Look closely, and you can see how each tiny stroke builds up the image, kind of like how we build our own understanding of the world, bit by bit. The etching feels almost like a sketch, capturing the fleeting impression of a place. There’s this wonderful contrast between the solid structure of the windmill and the loose, almost scribbled lines of the landscape. Notice, for example, the way the lines that define the stairs seem to vibrate and bristle against the paper. The whole composition has an airy quality. It reminds me a bit of Whistler, who also had an eye for finding the beauty in everyday scenes. Art like this reminds us that beauty doesn’t always need to shout; sometimes, it whispers.