Oberammergau before 1931

Etienne Bosch made this print, Oberammergau, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. It's a complex dance of light and dark, isn't it? Looking at it, I imagine Bosch, squinting, capturing the essence of this place with rapid, searching lines. The architecture seems to emerge from a haze of marks, a process of addition and subtraction. See how the figures seem to dissolve into their surroundings, anchored by loose and overlapping hatch marks. It’s like the artist is asking, How do you make something substantial out of thin air? How do you capture the spirit of a place through a web of lines? Bosch’s process feels intuitive, responsive. He’s not just depicting a scene; he's inviting us to experience his way of seeing. And really, isn't that what all artists do? They show us how they look, and in turn, teach us how to see.