Haven van Antwerpen 1922

This is Henri Braakensiek's "Haven van Antwerpen," made with etching. It's a simple image, but the way he's built it up with these little lines is really compelling. You can almost feel him trying to find the shape as he works. I’m struck by how Braakensiek uses a single color to create depth and texture. The etched lines vary in thickness and density, building up a sense of atmosphere and light reflecting off the water. Look at how the cross-hatching creates darker areas, suggesting the weight of the ships and the movement of the waves. It's almost like he's scratching his way into the image, letting the process itself dictate the form. This reminds me a little of Piranesi, even though the subject matter is so different. Both artists use line to build these incredible, imagined spaces. There's a sense of endlessness in both, a feeling that the image could keep going forever. It shows how etching can be both precise and incredibly atmospheric.