Vajda Lajos Perui Mumiafej 1939 1939

Vajda Lajos made this print, Perui Mumiafej, or Peruvian Mummy Head, in 1939 using a graphic technique. It’s all about lines, like someone thinking out loud with a pen. The lines are simple but the image is complex. Look how Lajos uses both delicate and dark marks to create shapes. On the right, see how the tone thickens and the lines bunch together to make heavy and dark areas. Then look to the left, where sparse lines hover on the page, barely there but still defining the subject. It’s interesting to think about how the graphic process itself - the act of engraving or etching - might’ve influenced Lajos’ mark-making. How does the act of physically carving into a surface impact the final image? For me, this print has a lot in common with the prints of Goya or Picasso, who also exploited the medium of graphic art to it’s full potential. It’s like they’re all having a conversation across time. Ultimately, this piece reminds us that art is less about answers and more about exploring the questions.