Figures 1961

Harold Altman made this etching called "Figures" using lines, lines, and more lines. I am thinking about the making of this artwork. Look at the density of the lines and the build-up of their tonality. It's so gentle, almost like a whisper. It's all about the pressure of the hand, isn't it? I imagine the artist must have worked slowly, etching with quiet confidence. What does the artist want us to see in this piece? I wonder if Altman was thinking about the French Impressionists and their cityscapes when he made it. The way he repeats these simple marks reminds me a bit of pointillism, but here the points are elongated into these vertical lines. Altman’s chosen method offers a unique way of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world. Artists are always in conversation, inspiring each other's creativity across time, and painting is just one way to find that dialogue.