Frontispiece: Daphnis and Chloe (Daphnis et Chloe enlaces) Possibly 1937

Aristide Maillol made this delicate frontispiece with ink on paper. It's all about lines, right? Not just describing the figures, but creating a sense of volume. It feels like it happened quickly but surely, like he knew where he was going. And look at the color. It’s a warm, earthy kind of ink. That single color really brings out the texture of the paper, which is almost as important as the image itself. See how the ink pools a little in places, emphasizing the weight of the bodies. The minimal line work helps create a mood that’s both simple and sensual. The little strokes of ink that create the foliage and grass feel so organic and free. Maillol was a sculptor, but he made lots of prints and drawings and these are some of the most striking and intimate images of his entire oeuvre. The composition feels classic, like a Greek vase, but with a modern touch. Think about Picasso, who was doing similar line drawings at the time. It's that spirit of modernism - to go back to basics but still be inventive.