Vrouw in klederdracht die op een voordeur klopt in Edam Possibly 1914 - 1919

Wijnand Otto Jan Nieuwenkamp made this etching of a woman knocking on a door in Edam. Look at the marks that swarm the page! They coalesce to create this very particular sense of space and time. I wonder what it was like for Nieuwenkamp to spend so much time on this, the sheer labor involved. The woman looks as if she’s impatiently knocking, as if she is expecting someone—but who? And what news does she bring? I feel for Nieuwenkamp! He’s not only creating a scene but also an atmosphere. There’s so much detail, especially in the stonework and the dense foliage. It reminds me that artists, across all forms of painting and drawing, are in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas and inspiring creativity across time. Each mark is a record of a decision, of time passing, of thought becoming form.