Landschap met berken langs een oever 1860 - 1910

Curator: Immediately I am transported to a quiet place, some forest pool perhaps? There's such depth created by the blacks and whites, making me want to trace the lines with my fingers. Editor: What captures my attention here is the subject matter, this piece by Alfred Elsen, made between 1860 and 1910, entitled "Landschap met berken langs een oever"—or, "Landscape with birches along a bank." It's an etching. It offers a rather traditional Dutch scene. Curator: Traditional, yes, but notice how the light dapples across the birches. You feel that moistness of the air hanging over the water. It feels so transient. Did the Dutch countryside even look like this or is this how Alfred Elsen wished to portray his home to the rest of the world? Editor: Interesting point! I’d argue the ‘wish’ and reality likely blended quite seamlessly. Landscape art gained popularity as urban populations grew and people looked back toward what they understood as idyllic country life. Prints like this made those scenes accessible, not just visually but economically too. Curator: It is so romantic though! Maybe a little too polished in its presentation of an unblemished, harmonious world? But I keep wanting to explore this imagined Eden. I almost wish I was wading in the cool water, the dappled light catching the tops of the trees above. It makes you wonder what else might be hidden there, deeper in the landscape? Editor: Well, Elsen carefully chose this specific viewpoint, constructing an idealized experience for the viewer. While technically a print, notice how the fine etching lines attempt to recreate the experience of standing within a carefully orchestrated "natural" scene, far removed from urban struggles. He wasn't trying to show social issues. Instead he gives us the solace of a perfect natural moment. Curator: Maybe there *is* something rebellious in seeking out and sharing places like this that nurture the soul! That feeling that can be found outside cities – a subtle form of defiance through beauty, a place that feeds something deep within all of us. It makes me remember times when I wandered alone for hours. Editor: True, but consider, too, how the art market encouraged and commodified those sentiments! Anyway, food for thought indeed. Thank you for such inspiring company. Curator: You're most welcome! The market and nature co-exist so intimately here, perhaps much more intertwined than is good for us. I will take with me the thought about a personal, rebellious response as a call to action in the Anthropocene era!