Louis XI 1964

Rudy Pozzatti made this etching, ‘Louis XI,’ in 1964 and straight away you’re plunged into a shadowy world where a spider reigns. The spider is ringed, like it’s caught in a web or a cage. The dry lines of the etching – the spider’s hairy legs, its segmented body – must have taken focus and control. It’s a world away from the gestural brushstrokes of a painting, but the attention to detail gives it its own kind of energy. I imagine Pozzatti hunched over the plate, using the acid to bite into the metal, line by line, to bring this vision to life. It's a contrast between delicacy and something sinister, this spider feels historical, a bit regal, like it’s stepped out of a fairytale or maybe a nightmare, more like Goya than Disney. All artists are in conversation with each other, aren’t they? It is a different way of seeing. You are looking at this image, but really, you are seeing an idea.