Paul Henri Benjamin d'Estournelles de Constant 1906

Anders Zorn made this print of Paul Henri Benjamin d'Estournelles de Constant using etching, a process of mark-making, where the artist scratches into a metal plate before adding ink. Look at the lines that make up the face. See how they build up, crisscrossing to create shadows and depth. The cross-hatching feels almost frantic, capturing a fleeting moment. D'Estournelles de Constant sits with his head resting on his hand, he seems to be deep in thought. The frenetic marks add to this sense of an active mind. Now, notice the background. It's a flurry of scribbles. Zorn doesn't give us much detail, but the suggestive lines hint at a room filled with books and papers. This print reminds me a bit of Whistler's etchings, in the way it captures a likeness with such economy of line, the two were both masters of the technique. The beauty of printmaking is its capacity to imply and suggest rather than fully describe; inviting us to participate in completing the picture.