Huis met balkon in Zwitserland 1888 - 1934

Willem Adrianus Grondhout made this etching of a house with a balcony in Switzerland; it's a place seen through dense, dark strokes. I'm thinking about the artist outside, sketching this place, really looking, deciding what marks to make. Do you see the figure near the house on the right? It might be a little dark to see clearly. I bet Grondhout wanted to capture the texture of the roof, and the white cloth hanging out to dry on the balcony. There’s something lovely about the contrast between the very dark areas and the brightness of the buildings in the distance. It’s all in conversation with other etchings, drawings and paintings, a long, slow, ongoing exchange of ideas. Thinking about the feeling of a place… what does it feel like to be there? How can I translate that feeling onto paper? This little etching embraces that kind of uncertainty, offering a sense of a place rather than a fixed view.