Boer op zijn erf 1887 - 1952

This is an etching by Chris van der Windt, whose title translates to ‘Farmer in his yard’. The marks feel so spontaneous! Like the artist just took a needle and scratched directly into the plate. You can see the lines creating the form of the trees, the house, and even the farmer himself. I love how the textures are built up. The thatched roof of the house is so tactile, you can almost feel the roughness of the straw. And the bare branches of the trees, they’re like a delicate web against the sky. Then, there’s this one dark, almost smudgy area around the base of the trees. It anchors the whole composition. It is like a shadow, but also a kind of mystery. This reminds me of some of the etchings of Rembrandt, that same interest in everyday life and the way light and shadow can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. I think what makes art interesting is that it doesn’t give us all the answers. It leaves room for us to wonder, to imagine, to feel.