Zinnias 1924

Lionel Lindsay made this print of Zinnias using etching. Look at how Lindsay works with the monochrome palette here, it’s almost like he’s composing a song. See how he creates depth and texture? It's all in the mark-making – a real dance of light and shadow. When I look at these flowers, I see a carefully crafted arrangement. The petals of each zinnia are defined by these incredibly fine lines. It’s as if each petal is a tiny, intricate world of its own. See that one zinnia at the top, how it seems to be reaching out? The meticulous etching suggests a dedication to capturing the fleeting beauty of nature, a theme reminiscent of the still lifes by artists like Rachel Ruysch. Thinking about the work of an artist like Vija Celmins, known for her meticulous drawings of natural forms, invites us to consider how artists find new ways to represent the world around them through different mediums. It is interesting to see how two artists are playing with the same idea in different ways. Art is an ongoing conversation, a play of ideas echoing through time.