Eakins c. 1962

Leonard Baskin made this print, Eakins, using wood engraving. Look how Baskin coaxes light and shadow with this technique, it’s a real balancing act. The marks are deeply personal, almost like he's sketching right onto the wood. The contrast in this piece is so stark, black ink against bare paper. Baskin really digs in, carving out these sharp, angular lines that give Eakins this intense, almost tortured look. And those eyes, right? They pull you in, like you're staring straight into Eakins' soul. Notice the area around the left eye. The artist creates a sense of depth and emotion through precise carving, allowing the white of the paper to emerge from the darkness. It reminds me of some of Käthe Kollwitz's prints, that same unflinching honesty. Art's like one big conversation, artists answering each other across time. And honestly, the more you look, the more you realize there's no one right answer anyway.