au pays de la soif et de la peur 1923

This is au pays de la soif et de la peur, a very dark print by Georges Rouault. The way he's built up tone feels so expressive and immediate, it’s like the image has risen up out of the darkness. Look closely at the surface, you can see the deep blacks created by the etching process. Rouault’s use of aquatint gives the print a grainy, almost velvety texture. See how the figures emerge from the shadows, their forms simplified, almost crude? It reminds me of some of Goya's darker prints, full of anguish and social critique. The way Rouault scratches into the surface, creating these stark contrasts, feels very raw and emotional. I keep coming back to the title, which translates as 'in the land of thirst and fear.' It's heavy, like the print itself. Rouault was deeply religious, and his work often deals with themes of suffering, redemption, and the human condition. His mark making and somber palette reminds me of the work of Paula Rego, who also made etchings which explore the dark side of humanity with a deep empathy. With Rouault, ambiguity is the point, and maybe the beginning of new ways of seeing.