Adolf Frey 1918

Fritz Eduard Pauli made this etching, Adolf Frey, sometime around 1918. You see how the artist coaxes light from darkness? He’s not afraid of shadows, and that’s where the magic happens. Look at the way the lines build up to create form, especially around the face. It reminds us that artmaking is a process of layering, of adding and subtracting until you find the essence of your subject. The texture is amazing, isn't it? You can almost feel the scratch of the needle on the plate. I’m drawn to the hands; they seem to reach out, inviting you into the world of the picture. The interplay of light and shadow gives them a sculptural quality. It’s like Pauli is saying, "Here, look closely, there's more than meets the eye." This print reminds me of the work of Käthe Kollwitz, another master of capturing human emotion with simple means. It’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, each artist building on the work of those who came before.