The Willows c. 20th century

Gustav Goetsch made this small etching called 'The Willows' sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. Look at the tonal range he achieved, just by using line! I imagine Goetsch outside, squinting in the sun, and drawing the bare bones of winter trees. It’s about touch, the scratch of a needle on a plate. It’s dark and light, solid forms and the way that light filters through the scene. Do you see how he has brought those branches to life? He has made them kind of hairy and energetic with all those etched lines. I love that some tiny figures are picnicking under the trees in the background. I imagine it was a warm day like today, and Goetsch was inspired to capture this scene. It's a lovely, intimate picture, and I think it speaks to the ongoing conversation that artists have with one another. What is a tree but a line? What is a picture? What is a world?