Molen in een weiland 1887 - 1949

Chris van der Windt made this small etching of a windmill in a meadow, and it's all about the dance of the line. It's like he's feeling his way through the landscape with a needle, scratching and tickling the plate. Look at how the dark, scratchy lines build up the form of the mill itself, almost like a little black cloud, while the meadow is just a few light, horizontal strokes. You can almost feel the pressure he put on the tool, digging in to create those deep blacks and just skimming the surface for the lighter areas. It’s this real, physical process that gives the print its energy. There's a lot of open space, and the whole image feels so fresh. Van der Windt is part of this amazing tradition of Dutch landscape artists, but there's something very modern and direct about his touch. For me, it embraces the simple pleasure of looking and making, without trying to say too much.