Gezicht op Venetië met de Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore 1884 - 1952

This etching of the Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice by Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries uses delicate lines to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. It’s like a visual diary, capturing a moment in time with an economy of means. The texture of the paper plays a big role here. The lines feel almost tentative, as if the artist is feeling their way through the scene, trying to capture the essence of Venice with minimal strokes. Notice how the bars of the gate in the foreground are more defined, drawing us into the scene beyond. There's a sense of layering, of looking through one thing to see another. It reminds me of Piranesi's architectural fantasies, those imaginary prisons, where space becomes a kind of mental labyrinth. But here, instead of confinement, there's a sense of openness, a glimpse of beauty that invites us to dream. Art is an open gate, not a closed one, right?