Tired Woman, Sonia Gramatté (Müder Mädchenkopf, Sonia Gramatté) 1923

Walter Gramatté made this print, "Tired Woman, Sonia Gramatté", sometime in the early 20th century. There's something about the graphic quality of the line, the way it digs into the paper, that makes it feel immediate and raw. The texture is really interesting, isn't it? Look at how the lines create depth and shadow, especially around the woman's face and collar. The eye is the only moment of intense colour in the piece. Gramatté wasn't trying to hide the process. You can practically feel the artist's hand at work, guiding the tool, making decisions with each stroke. See how the background is rendered in long flowing lines, almost like a curtain of water. The tiredness in the title is made more poignant by the mark making in the face, the way the lines drag downwards with gravity. The intensity and introspection remind me of Käthe Kollwitz, another German artist who explored themes of human suffering and resilience through printmaking. Art's a conversation across time, right?