Knock Out, Second Version (Le K.O. du noir (seconde version)) 1922

Andre Dunoyer de Segonzac made this etching called, Knock Out, Second Version. Look at the scratched lines, like frantic energy let loose. You can almost feel the scratch of the etching needle digging into the plate. I imagine Segonzac hunched over the metal, pushing and pulling, maybe muttering to himself. Did he pause, squint, and then dive back in, driven by some inner rhythm? You know, etching is all about building up layers, a mesh of tiny marks creating tone, light, and shadow. Notice how the cross-hatching suggests both the bright lights overhead and the dark shadows gathering around the fallen boxer? You can feel the weight of the boxer looming over the other on the ground. It's like he's saying, "I'm here, I'm present, I'm wrestling with the world." And in that struggle, he’s connecting with every other artist who ever picked up a tool and tried to make sense of things.