The Artist’s Mother-in-Law 1920

Lovis Corinth made this etching of his mother-in-law using confident, swift lines. It's all about the process. He's not trying to hide his marks; rather, he's using them to build up her face, her gaze. The lines are loose, almost scribbled, yet they come together to create a powerful portrait. Look at the way he etches the shadows around her eyes and mouth. The density and texture! There's a real physicality to it, like he's wrestling with the plate to capture her essence. Notice the shading on the hand, and how the lines don’t completely meet around the fingers. It’s this that creates a sense of dynamism to the work. Corinth reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also wasn't afraid to get down and dirty with her materials to capture the truth of her subjects. Art is a conversation, after all, a never-ending exchange of ideas and approaches. There's always room for ambiguity, for multiple readings.