Faubourg des Longues Peines (Impasse) 1929

Georges Rouault coaxed this print out of a plate with some kind of acid, right? Look at the concentration of dark marks, how they drag you into the depths of this alleyway. I can just imagine him hunched over the plate, the smell of acid in the air, as he coaxes these figures to life. I wonder, was Rouault thinking about Daumier when he made this? It has that same concern for the dispossessed, the feeling of being trapped. The walls are so heavy with lines, like they're closing in. It feels claustrophobic, like there’s no escape from this place. The figures are spectral, anonymous. They're just there, existing in this shadow. Look at the way he's scratched the surface, almost angrily. There’s a sense of urgency, like he had to get this down before the feeling disappeared. It's a reminder that artists are always talking to each other, borrowing ideas, and pushing them further. This print is not just a picture, it's an experience, and a question.