Prometheus c. 1940

Joseph Mugnaini made this print of Prometheus using stark blacks and whites to create depth and drama. It's all about process; the way he’s scratched and gouged into the surface, letting the image emerge from the dark. The texture, it's not just about what we see, but what we almost feel. Look at the fiery aura surrounding Prometheus, how it both imprisons and defines him. It's like Mugnaini is reminding us that creation and destruction are two sides of the same coin. The way he renders the figure, almost dissolving into the flames, it's not just a depiction; it's an experience of transformation. Mugnaini's style has the same graphic punch you see in someone like Kathe Kollwitz, who also wasn't afraid to wrestle with the big themes, using stark lines to carve out raw human emotion. Ultimately, the piece isn't about giving us easy answers but inviting us to grapple with uncomfortable questions.