Arbeider bij een vuur 2 1904

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst made this print called *Arbeider bij een vuur 2*, or Worker by a Fire 2, and the marks are just incredible. It looks like it was made through a process of layering and cross-hatching that built up the image in stages, the figure emerging from the darkness through trial, error, and intuition. I can imagine Holst really feeling for his subject. The way the worker leans on his tool, gazing into the distance – what was he thinking when he made this? The texture is fascinating, not thick like in impasto, but rather built up through the lines that give it such depth. Those lines around the fire—it gives a sense of warmth, or maybe of danger. I think about other artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also showed workers with such dignity. It reminds us that art is an ongoing dialogue, and each artist contributes their voice to the conversation. Ultimately, painting allows for multiple interpretations and meaning, it's up to us to find it.