Artist's Father 1924

Nathaniel Sparks made this etching, called 'Artist's Father,' with ink on paper. The way Sparks uses line to create the image reminds me of drawing with charcoal or even a very fine pen. It's all about capturing light and shadow, right? See how the cross-hatching builds up the darker areas of his father's coat and the folds in his clothes. It's like he's slowly building the image, mark by mark, trying to figure out the form. There's something really touching about the way the artist renders the texture of his father's beard. The lines are so delicate and close together. It gives it a soft, almost palpable quality. And then, look at the way he's holding the violin. It's like he's caught in a moment of contemplation. This piece reminds me a bit of Käthe Kollwitz's prints – that same sense of quiet intensity and focus on the human figure. It's a reminder that art is a conversation, artists borrowing and building on each other's ideas across time.