Étude pour Merci 1922

Arthur William Heintzelman made this etching, in shades of brown and black, on a plate that’s just a few inches wide. I imagine him hunched over this copper plate, the needle in his hand scratching at its surface. What’s he thinking as he works on this man’s face? His lines seem sure, but there’s room for exploration. Is he thinking about Rembrandt’s etchings, the way he captured light and shadow? I feel his way of seeing and how he wants to portray the human figure. I love how the lines capture the light on the man’s face, those tiny strokes making him look like he’s really there. And the way he lets some parts fade into the background, focusing on the eyes and the curve of his cheek. I always want to see that little tremble in the hand. All these artists, across time, inking lines and wiping plates, influencing each other, and me, in some ineffable way.