Paul Henri Benjamin d'Estournelles de Constant 1906

This is Anders Zorn’s etching of Paul Henri Benjamin d'Estournelles de Constant, date unknown, made with delicate lines and a subtle tonal range. I like to think about how an etching comes into being, not just as a picture, but as a process. Imagine Zorn, carefully layering lines to build up the image, each stroke carving a tiny groove into the metal plate. You get this sense of the artist's hand moving across the surface, trying to capture the essence of this very serious and important-looking man. The etched lines feel like they are alive with energy. And the way the shadows define the contours of his face and clothing, is a kind of performance. I wonder what Zorn and d'Estournelles de Constant talked about, and what kind of mood Zorn was trying to create. It makes me think about Rembrandt and other printmakers who used etching to such great effect. Artists are always talking to each other across time, you know? Each one learning and riffing off those who came before. Painting and printmaking are about embracing uncertainty, seeing where the process takes you, and hoping that someone else will connect with it along the way.