Gezicht op Villers-sur-mer met figuren op het strand en in de zee 1930

Edgar Chahine made this tiny etching of a beach scene, Villers-sur-Mer, with figures on the beach and in the sea. What I like about etchings is that they are usually small, like a memory, captured with these really delicate lines. The whole scene feels like a fleeting moment, doesn’t it? Chahine's lines are thin and quick, creating a sense of movement. Look at the way he suggests the figures on the beach: they're just little dashes, almost like musical notes on a staff, and you can see how he built up depth. The whole thing has a hazy, dreamlike quality. It’s a bit like a Vuillard but even more compressed and somehow more lively! The way he uses line to create texture is really amazing. The water is shimmering with light. I also like the little clusters of people, how they are grouped, suggesting conversations, games, and the simple pleasures of a day at the beach. It really captures the feeling of being there. Like Bonnard, he understood that simplicity can hold so much depth.