Corte II 1926

Lodewijk Schelfhout made this print called Corte II at an unknown date, using etching and aquatint. Imagine him, squinting in the bright Mediterranean sun trying to capture the light on the stone bridge. The aquatint gives the print such a range of dark and light, that almost makes it feel like he’s painting with shadows. See how the road winds up and up to the town perched on the hill? I wonder what he was thinking as he created the dense and dark tree in the right foreground. It's almost ominous, but I like the balance it brings to the composition. It reminds me of some of Piranesi’s architectural prints, but with a softer, more human touch. Schelfhout has made something so evocative that I almost feel like I'm there, breathing the same air, feeling the sun on my skin. Artists are always in conversation with one another across time, building on each other's ideas and inspiring new ways of seeing the world.