Polderhuis 1924

"Polderhuis" is an etching of a waterside scene by Frederik van der Harst. It's all in shades of grey, like an old photograph, and made me think about the process of image-making. I imagine the artist carefully scratching lines into a metal plate, building up this quiet scene, bit by bit. You can feel the trees lining the canal, the buildings, and the giant water wheel. The marks are dense, like tiny scribbles, creating texture and light. It's interesting to think about how this image has come into being, starting with an idea, a view, and then transformed through the artist's hand into this printed form. And when I look closely, I can feel a sense of connection, of an artist trying to capture the essence of a place, of a moment. What was he thinking, what was it like to be there, drawing this scene? It’s like a quiet conversation across time.