Huizen in aanbouw 1892 - 1928

Johannes Löhr’s etching, "Huizen in aanbouw", meaning "Houses Under Construction", is made with delicate lines that weave together to create a sense of a city rising from the ground. I can imagine Löhr, bent over his plate, carefully etching away to build a world on a small scale, almost like he is one of the construction workers in the scene. The buildings aren’t just there; they’re becoming, growing, emerging. I sympathize with Löhr, translating the world around him through the meticulous work of etching. It takes such concentration! The lines are so precise, they remind me of Piranesi’s architectural fantasies, but Löhr's has a grounded quality, rooted in the everyday reality of urban development. There is something very human about this image. It's like a little love letter to the working class and the unsung beauty of the city in progress. Artists are always building something, aren’t they? Just like these construction workers, one line at a time.