Landschap met brug 1872 - 1932

Frans Smissaert made this landscape with a bridge, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century, using etching. It's all these tiny, scratchy lines making up the image—like he’s feeling his way through the scene. I’m thinking about Smissaert standing there, maybe a bit chilly, working on the plate that he's going to use for the print. I imagine him thinking about the old masters of landscape, trying to find his own voice. The way the light is captured—sort of diffuse and soft—gives the whole scene a feeling of quiet contemplation. Notice the bare tree on the right, how it contrasts with the more established trees on the left, and how this opposition adds a sense of depth and maybe even a touch of melancholy. Making this piece, Smissaert’s in conversation with all the artists who’ve ever tried to capture a landscape, and he’s also talking to us, inviting us to slow down and notice the beauty in the everyday. He’s embracing the imperfections, the roughness of the lines—and that’s where the real magic happens.