Herfstbos 1987

Kees Stoop made this etching called Herfstbos, or Autumn Forest, in 1987. It’s all about the possibilities of line and tone, how just a few marks can suggest a whole world. Look closely, and you can see how Stoop coaxes a landscape from the metal, using delicate lines to create depth and texture. The trees in the foreground are a tangle of branches, almost like a musical score, while the distant hills fade into a soft, hazy background. The water in the foreground, rendered with horizontal lines, feels still, reflecting the muted light. It is almost as if the whole scene is breathing. It reminds me of the work of some of the early modernists, like Emil Nolde, who were similarly interested in the expressive potential of printmaking. Just like them, Stoop shows us that art is an ongoing conversation, a way of seeing and thinking that evolves over time.