Putzmacherin (Milliner) 1925

This is an etching of a woman, made by Karl Hofer, and the tiny etched marks construct a world of gentle quiet. It's like the scratchy whispers of an intimate secret being shared. I can imagine Hofer bent over the plate, his hand moving delicately, guided by an inner vision. What was he thinking as he rendered the milliner’s downcast gaze, the folds of her clothes? The image shimmers between definition and blur, somewhere between tangible reality and a half-formed dream. Look at the economy of line, how Hofer evokes form with such simplicity. The weave of the chair and the hatching on her skirt show the hand of the artist, making deliberate and thoughtful marks. I think of other artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also found grace in quiet domestic scenes. There's a silent conversation happening across time, where artists respond to each other’s visions. In this print, Hofer invites us to participate in this conversation. It's a reminder that art is not about fixed meanings, but about embracing the fluidity of feeling and experience.