Hoogvlakte van Bandoeng op Java 1899 - 1913

Wijnand Otto Jan Nieuwenkamp made this etching, "Hoogvlakte van Bandoeng op Java," in 1913. It's all about the scratchy lines, isn't it? Like a pen constantly moving, searching for the form in the landscape. Look closely at how he builds up the mountains. There's a real tenderness in the marks that define the landscape, you can see the marks he made to find and describe what he saw. The etching has a tactile quality, like you could feel the grain of the plate under your fingertips. Each stroke feels deliberate, yet the overall effect is open and airy. It’s the kind of work that makes you want to grab your own tools and start making something, anything. Nieuwenkamp, with his love for landscape, reminds me of a Dutch Cezanne. Both artists saw their subjects as something shifting and alive. There's no final word, just a constant conversation.