Jasante de la Vielle 1902

Theophile Alexandre Steinlen made this image of an old woman, called Jasante de la Vielle, using etching, a printmaking process. The cross-hatching creates such a variety of dark tones. It’s a reminder that art is really all about process, how one mark leads to another, and another. Looking at the texture, you can almost feel the scratch of the needle on the plate. The lines are so close together, it’s like he's building up layers of darkness to create depth and form. The way he renders the face, with all those tiny lines, gives her such a vulnerable expression, but when you look closely you can see real care in his mark making. Steinlen reminds me of Kathe Kollwitz, who also dealt with the realities of life in her printmaking. It’s like they’re both part of this ongoing conversation about what it means to be human. There's a melancholy that really draws you in.