Grootestraat in Batenburg 1907

This is ‘Grootestraat in Batenburg’ by Benjamin Charlé, made with etching, though it's undated. What really gets me is how Charlé uses the etching technique to create a kind of visual poetry. It’s like he’s not just depicting a street, but also capturing the essence of a memory or a fleeting moment. Look at the way he uses the lines. They’re not just descriptive, they’re expressive. There’s a real sense of depth and atmosphere, created with these simple marks. The buildings are rendered with such delicate detail, and the way the light filters through the trees. It’s all so evocative, you can almost feel the cool air and hear the distant sounds of the town. It reminds me a bit of Piranesi, the way he uses line and shadow to create these immersive, almost dreamlike spaces. And like Piranesi, Charlé seems to be interested in the beauty of the everyday, the poetry of the ordinary. Art isn't about one true answer, it's more of a conversation across time.