Vija Celmins' Webs series, initiated in the early 1990s, marks an important phase in her exploration of natural phenomena and meticulous rendering. The series was inspired by images of spider webs she found in scientific textbooks. Celmins was intrigued by the similarity between the flat picture plane and the delicate, intricate structure of spider webs, leading her to create works that emphasize the web's fragile and ephemeral nature.

One of the key pieces in this series is "Web #1" (1999), which is part of a group of nine works on the theme of the spider's web created between 1998 and 2006. These works were rendered using a variety of media, including graphite, charcoal, and mezzotint, showcasing Celmins' mastery of different techniques to capture the fine details and translucency of spider webs. The series includes both unique drawings and prints, such as the four 'web' prints from 2001 and 2002, demonstrating her interest in exploring the subject through multiple iterations and mediums (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) (National Galleries).

Celmins' approach to the "Webs" series involves a painstaking process of building up layers and then erasing or burnishing areas to reveal the delicate lines of the web. This method creates an almost negative effect, where the web appears as a lighter tone against a darker background, enhancing its delicate and ghostly presence. The mezzotint technique, used in works like "Web 2" (2000), allows for a range of tonal variations that contribute to the depth and complexity of the image (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) (Art21).

These works are characterized by their monochromatic palette and meticulous detail, which invite viewers to closely examine and appreciate the intricate beauty of the natural world. Celmins' "Webs" not only capture the physical structure of spider webs but also evoke a sense of wonder and discovery, reflecting her broader themes of perception, memory, and the passage of time (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) (Art21).

Vija Celmins' Webs series exemplifies her commitment to exploring natural forms with a high degree of precision and sensitivity, turning simple, everyday subjects into profound meditations on the nature of representation and the act of seeing (National Galleries) (Art21)