Sloot in de Binckhorst in Den Haag 1888 - 1934

Willem Adrianus Grondhout’s etching presents a scene in The Hague; it’s all in a sepia tone, with a wet, wintry atmosphere, right? I imagine him outside, shivering slightly as he draws, squinting against the grey light to capture the scene before him. It’s all about the scratchy marks that build up the forms. Look at those trees on the right, like tangled hair against the sky. He really captures the way winter trees reach up and out. The buildings in the background – look how they loom, sort of fuzzy, against the skyline. There’s something about the texture, the way the lines are etched, that gives the whole scene a kind of melancholic feeling. You can feel the dampness in the air, smell the wet earth. He’s part of a whole lineage of artists, all looking at the world, trying to capture a feeling, a moment. It’s a conversation that keeps going, each artist adding their voice, their way of seeing. And that’s what makes it exciting, right? It is not just about one moment, but many.