Madonna 1903

This is Edvard Munch’s Madonna, made with etching and aquatint, a really interesting combination of techniques. The lines are so fluid, almost like he’s sketching with acid, letting the plate bite where it may. Look at how he’s used the aquatint to create these deep, velvety blacks that surround the figure. It's like she's emerging from the darkness. You can almost feel the texture of the plate, the way the acid has eaten into the metal. And then there are these fine, delicate lines that define her face, so tender. It's all about contrast, that interplay between light and dark, hard and soft. The swirling lines that make up her hair, they're not just decorative, they seem to echo the emotional turmoil of the piece. It makes me think of Paula Rego, she also embraced the dark side of motherhood. Art's a conversation, right? Each artist adding their voice to the mix, exploring those tricky, messy emotions that make us human.