Zomeruitvoering Groote Kerk te Naarden (...) Zaterdagavond 28 juni half Acht (...) 1913

This etching, made by Egbert Rubertus Derk Schaap, features a limited tonal range in blacks, whites, and greys. There’s a hermit and knight and a horse—it has the feel of a fable, or an illustration from a dark fairytale. Look at how the figures have come into being. This process of ‘emergence’ is the work of the artist, who has laid down a sequence of marks. Every mark counts, and yet, some of them don’t quite work. I can imagine Schaap grappling with his composition, shifting things around, maybe even muttering to himself. I feel a sense of drama. I like the way the cross-hatching creates areas of shadow, which in turn obscures things, adding to the mystery. For me, art-making is a philosophical conversation across time. I think artists are always looking at each other’s work, trying things out. Schaap, with this piece, has definitely thrown his hat into the ring. And for us, well, we can see what emerges.