Pope Benedict Xv 1917

Paul-Albert Besnard made this etching of Pope Benedict XV, and it’s all about the scratchy lines, the way they build up to create dark shadows and leave other areas almost bare. For me, that’s what printmaking is all about, that direct connection between the hand and the plate. Look at the right side of the Pope’s face, how the dense crosshatching gives way to the lightness of the cheek. It’s like Besnard is thinking out loud, deciding where to add weight and where to let the light in. That kind of decision-making is exactly what it feels like to be in the studio. The marks aren’t just descriptive; they're expressive, revealing the artist’s process. This reminds me of Picasso’s prints. Like Picasso, Besnard embraces the immediacy of the medium, and isn’t afraid to let the process show. Ultimately, art is about this kind of open-ended conversation.