Huis aan de Vliet in Voorburg 1888 - 1934

This tiny etching on paper is by Willem Adrianus Grondhout, and it's called Huis aan de Vliet in Voorburg, which I think is Dutch for House on the Vliet in Voorburg. I like to imagine Grondhout outside by the water with his etching plate, carefully scratching those little lines to make the house, the boat, the sky. The marks are so delicate, so fragile, like he barely touched the surface. It makes me think about how much work can go into something so small. You know, making art is like having a conversation, but instead of talking, you're using lines and shapes. Grondhout here is talking to the viewer but also back and forth to other artists across time. I bet he was looking at other etchings, trying to figure out how to make his own mark. It is an ongoing exchange of ideas, inspiring each other’s creativity.