Zittende vrouw bekijkt een prent of tekening, voor haar een prentstandaard 1879 - 1927

Loys Delteil made this etching, "Zittende vrouw bekijkt een prent of tekening, voor haar een prentstandaard," with a directness that feels both intimate and observational. The piece is all about process, about how marks accumulate to build form and space. The texture is key here. Look at how the lines vary in weight and direction, creating a sense of depth and shadow. In the woman’s dress, you can see how Delteil uses dense, almost scribbled lines to suggest the folds of the fabric, while the background is rendered with lighter, more delicate strokes. This contrast not only defines the figure but also gives the entire image a lively, vibrating quality. It’s like he's thinking out loud with his marks. Delteil’s work reminds me a bit of Whistler, who was also interested in capturing fleeting moments and atmospheric effects through etching. But while Whistler often sought to create a sense of harmony and balance, Delteil seems more interested in the raw, unedited energy of the mark. It’s this openness to experimentation and chance that makes his work so compelling.