Viba 1929

Gerald Leslie Brockhurst made this etching called Viba, and what strikes me is the pose, the classic melancholic pose of the female figure at the window. What was he thinking when he made this? Was it just an exercise in form, or was there something deeper at play? I imagine he was in conversation with other artists of the time, looking at similar themes and subjects. This girl seems pensive and introspective. Brockhurst is working with the etching needle to create a web of fine marks. Look at how the marks work together to build up the tones and textures of the figure and the cloth. You can almost feel the weight and drape of the fabric, the smooth curve of her cheek. It reminds me that art is an ongoing dialogue, artists are always borrowing, responding, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.