Turfschepen in het IJ c. 1910 - 1911

Willem Witsen made this print of turf ships on the IJ river using etching, and it's like he’s feeling his way through the scene. You can see the kind of searching marks, and he's not afraid to leave the plate a little under-bitten, which gives the whole thing a ghostly, quiet feel. I really get into the way he handles the water. It's not just a flat plane; it's built up with these nervous, almost scribbled lines that give it a real sense of movement and depth. Look at the reflections – they’re not perfect mirror images, but kind of broken and shimmering. That’s what makes it so alive! The boats themselves are solid and weighty, but they're softened by the atmosphere. Witsen’s contemporary James Whistler was another printmaker interested in depicting atmospheric effects and quiet scenes of urban life. Both artists seem to be saying that beauty isn’t always about the grand gesture, but the careful observation of everyday life.