Zittende vrouw 1875 - 1950

Maria Hubrecht made this etching, "Zittende Vrouw", with subtle tonal variations. I can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the plate, scratching lines, building up the image bit by bit. There's a quietness to this work. You know, it’s hard to make something look this effortless; I imagine her wrestling with the composition, maybe wiping away some lines, adding others, until she got it just right. The woman sits with her hands clasped, her head covered with a delicate veil and cap. I feel like she could be anyone, anywhere; she reminds me a little bit of Käthe Kollwitz's prints, especially in the subject’s quiet dignity. Hubrecht lets the lines breathe, giving the image a kind of openness, and the slightly faded quality of the print only adds to the work’s enigmatic charm. It’s all part of this ongoing conversation, isn’t it? Artists responding to what came before, finding their own voice in the mix.