Hondenmarkt before 1909

Florimond Buyck created this etching called Hondenmarkt, using fine lines to capture a bustling dog market. I can imagine Buyck, bent over the plate, carefully dragging his etching needle to create each tiny line, building up the image bit by bit. The scene feels very alive, full of the dogs and their owners. I wonder what Buyck was thinking about while making this work? Was he an animal lover trying to capture the true essence of each dog, or was he interested in depicting the relationship between people and animals? There's a wonderful balance between the detail of the figures and the looser depiction of the background. The texture created by the dense network of lines really brings a sense of depth to the scene. It reminds me of other graphic artists like Käthe Kollwitz, who also use line to create a sense of atmosphere and emotion. Artists are in an ongoing conversation, each building upon the work of those who came before, isn't it beautiful?