Gezicht op een dorp tussen bomen door 1892 - 1916

Rik Wouters made this small etching of a village through trees with delicate lines. It's all about process here; you can almost feel the artist carefully scratching away at the plate. The textures are amazing. Look how the lines create the rough bark of the trees, and then soften to suggest the light filtering through the branches. It's a masterclass in using the bare minimum to evoke a whole world. The whole thing feels so immediate and personal, like a quick sketch from life, but with a real sense of atmosphere. The contrast between the dark lines of the trees and the open sky creates a kind of shimmering effect, making the whole scene feel alive. Wouters reminds me a little of Bonnard, in the way he finds poetry in everyday scenes. It’s like he's inviting us to slow down and really look at the world around us, to find beauty in the simplest things.