Besneeuwde tuin te Bosvoorde 1892 - 1916

This etching, Besneeuwde tuin te Bosvoorde, was made by Rik Wouters in the early 20th century; it's a small, intimate look at a snow-covered garden done with simple lines. What I find so interesting here is the quality of the line, the way Wouters uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up tone and texture. Look at the figure of the man on the left; Wouters has made him solid by using a complex pattern of lines, making him stand out in contrast to the more delicate marks in the background. You can almost feel the cold of the snow, see the bare trees. Wouters’s choice of a monochrome palette brings out the stark beauty of the winter landscape. Wouters, who was working at the same time as artists like Matisse, had a very distinctive and lively approach to mark making. This print reminds me of the work of Emil Nolde, who explored similar themes of nature and solitude. Like many artists, Wouters shows that artmaking is a conversation that transcends time and place.