A Girl's Head - K 1919

Augustus John etched this plate, A Girl's Head - K, sometime in his career. I'm drawn to the web of lines, etched into the metal. It’s all about mark-making as a process. There’s a real tactile quality here. You can almost feel the scratch of the needle on the plate. Notice the difference in textures, from the dense hatching around her hair and neck to the lighter, more open areas of her face. See how the lines create form and volume, but also a sense of atmosphere, as if the figure is emerging from a mist. Look at the way John uses short, curved lines to define the planes of her face, giving it a subtle, almost sculptural quality. And then there are those expressive eyes, full of mystery and depth. This etching reminds me of the work of Rembrandt, with his mastery of light and shadow, and his ability to capture the human spirit in just a few lines. Like Rembrandt, John is inviting us to contemplate the beauty and complexity of the human form, and the endless possibilities of art.