Pietà 1920

Lovis Corinth made this print, called Pietà, at some point in his career using etching. Look at the way he’s built up the image through the layering of lines. It gives everything a real sense of movement, even this very still and somber scene. The darkness of the lines in the top right really makes that corner of the image recede, and the body of Christ seems to emerge from the dark. You can almost feel the texture of the shroud, and the stark contrast between light and shadow emphasizes the tragedy of the moment. The etched lines aren’t just descriptive; they’re expressive, conveying the raw emotion of the scene. I’m reminded of Käthe Kollwitz, who was also working in Germany at the time. Like Corinth, she used printmaking to explore themes of grief, loss, and social injustice. It’s interesting to see how artists grapple with these universal themes. Ultimately, art isn’t about answers, it’s about the questions that keep us up at night.