Stilleven met vis en kan 1893 - 1941

This is “Stilleven met vis en kan” by Ludwig Marcoussis, an etching. Notice how the hatching creates an almost palpable texture. It’s not just about depicting a fish and a jug; it's about the process of building up marks to create form. The way the light catches the fish's scales and the jug’s surface, is achieved through these dense, rhythmic lines. See the newspaper in the background? The text is illegible, but the texture of the print contrasts beautifully with the smooth surface of the jug. It’s that tension between representation and abstraction that I find so compelling. Like Picasso, Marcoussis was using Cubism to break down forms. The hatching creates a sense of depth, but also flattens the image, pushing and pulling us between different dimensions. It reminds me of how artists like Braque were taking apart the world, piece by piece, trying to understand what makes it tick. It's a conversation, always.