Max Slevogt 1917

Emil Orlik made this portrait of Max Slevogt as an etching, which is a kind of printmaking, sometime around 1918 or 1919, judging by the inscription at the bottom. Orlik scratched an image of his friend into a metal plate, so the image itself is made up of lines. What strikes me is the intimacy of the portrait. It’s not showy; it's all in the details. Look at the way Orlik uses the etching lines to describe Slevogt’s hair, beard and spectacles. See how the faint parallel lines create a sense of depth and texture, almost like the soft stubble on a cheek. It's like a drawing, but it’s been through this whole mechanical process. I love the little touches of white or pale blue that Orlik added to Slevogt’s hair too. These small additions change the whole feel of the piece. There’s a real sense of someone looking closely, paying attention. Artists like Orlik remind me that printmaking can be as personal as painting, and that every mark carries its own kind of feeling and thought.