Mending 1905

Anders Zorn created this etching, “Mending,” sometime around the turn of the century. It's all about these hatched lines, right? They build up the darks, create the light, and even give you a sense of the air in the room. For me, printmaking is always about process. It's like, how can you make something so immediate from something so technical? Look closely, and you'll see how Zorn uses the density of the lines to describe form. There's a real economy of means here. That small area of light that defines the curve of her shoulder is so perfectly observed! The way he suggests the folds in the fabric with just a few strokes. It reminds me of the way Whistler used to work, all about suggestion and implication. Ultimately, it's about the conversation between artists across time. Zorn takes something from Whistler, but he makes it his own. And that's what art is, right? A constant dialogue, a remix of ideas, always open to new interpretations.