Gezicht op een markt in Vlaanderen 1907

Jules de Bruycker's print offers a glimpse into a bustling market in Flanders, composed with tight hatching and cross-hatching that build dense, murky tones. It feels like an epic theatre set, doesn’t it? All this activity rendered with such detail, as if Bruycker wanted us to feel the weight and texture of everyday life. I imagine him hunched over his plate, squinting, pulling those lines. What was he thinking, what was he hoping to capture? Maybe it was the communal spirit, maybe it was just the pure visual energy of the scene. Look at the way the figures blend into their surroundings! There is a sort of dance, figures intertwined with stalls and architecture. Bruycker's choice of etching emphasizes the grit and complexity of the market scene. It's not just about what's there, but how it feels to be there, lost in the crowd, surrounded by commerce and community. It reminds me of other artists obsessed with documenting the world around them, turning the ordinary into something extraordinary.