Auntie Susie Reading 1910

Francis Dodd made this etching, Auntie Susie Reading, with tight networks of lines in sepia ink. There’s a real sense of process as you see how the image slowly emerges from the mass of etched lines. The couch Auntie Susie lies on is practically vibrating with hatching, contrasting with the blanker area of her voluminous blanket. The mark making is pretty relentless here, with every surface and fold described by a constant flow of near parallel lines. Close up on the blanket, you get a sense of speed, of restless application. It’s like he’s almost scribbling, trying to keep up with the shifting folds of fabric. Think about how this compares to work by artists like Käthe Kollwitz, who used the same technique to express emotion. Both suggest the idea of printmaking as drawing. It suggests that art is an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, embracing ambiguity, and multiple interpretations.