Death c. 1950s

Harold Persico Paris made this striking print, titled ‘Death’, using stark black ink on paper. There’s such a powerful process at play here, isn’t there? Look at how the artist has carved away at the block to reveal the figure, leaving bold marks that shape the form and convey a feeling of vulnerability. The texture is rough, raw; you can almost feel the artist’s hand at work, digging into the material. The figure is swaddled, almost mummified, and the word ‘MORT’ is written on the body. The way the lines converge towards the base of the image gives a real sense of closure, as though the figure is being swallowed up. The heavy contrast creates an emotional intensity. It reminds me of some of Käthe Kollwitz’s prints, with their unflinching look at human suffering. It’s a reminder that art can be a powerful medium for confronting difficult truths, and for opening up dialogue around the things that make us most uncomfortable.