Landschap met weg en bomen 1870 - 1914

This is "Landscape with Road and Trees," an etching made by Willem Bastiaan Tholen. The image is made by scratching lines into a metal plate, inking the surface, and then pressing it onto paper. It’s a relatively straightforward process, yet in Tholen's skilled hands, the effect is beautiful. You can see the rich visual complexity that emerges when you look closely, a direct result of the etching method itself. The image shows a natural scene with a winding road and trees, made up of seemingly simple marks. But the density of lines is what gives the image its texture, depth, and life-like quality. The etching technique, with its capacity for fine detail and subtle tonal gradations, suggests a commitment to both observation and craft. This work reminds us that printmaking can be just as expressive and nuanced as painting or drawing, even if the process is more mechanical. It underscores the importance of recognizing the hand of the artist, even in works that might seem to be purely products of industry.