The Seasons (Summer) [trial proof] 1987

Jasper Johns made this trial proof for "The Seasons (Summer)" using etching and aquatint. It’s all about layering, not just of images, but of techniques, too. Look at the ghostlike figure on the left, with its subtle surface. It is built up from so many little marks. The surface feels scrubbed and worked, not smooth at all. And the colors – muted greens and grays – contribute to this sense of something remembered or half-seen. It feels like a process of excavation and collage, with elements emerging from the depths of the plate. The way Johns uses aquatint gives a grainy texture, like a memory fading in and out. The brickwork behind the figure feels solid, but the figure itself is ephemeral, transient. It reminds me a bit of Rauschenberg’s combines, this idea of bringing together disparate elements to create something new. It's like Johns is saying that art isn't about answers, but about the questions we ask along the way.