Rivierbedding c. 1970 - 1975

This etching by Kees Stoop captures a riverbed scene with a flurry of etched lines. Look at the frenetic strokes that form the trees – dense and scribbled, they create a contrast with the smoother surface of the water. I can almost feel Stoop standing there, squinting at the scene, translating what he sees into this web of marks. I imagine him working quickly, trying to catch the light as it flickers across the water and the leaves. It's like he's trying to hold onto a fleeting moment, a feeling of being in that place. The etching reminds me of other artists who have used line to map the world around them, from Rembrandt to contemporary printmakers. There's a sense of intimacy in the act of etching. As if Stoop invites us to share in his experience of the landscape, a shared exchange of marks and meaning across time.