Wounded Minotaur VI (Minotaure blesse VI) 1933

Picasso made this print, Wounded Minotaur VI, without using any paint at all. Etching is a really physical thing, though – the artist has to apply a waxy ground to a copper plate, scratch the design into the wax, and then dunk the whole thing in acid. Here, the acid bites into the metal where the wax has been removed, and the incised lines hold the ink. I think you can almost feel the sharp point scratching through the waxy ground. Then, the plate is printed, transferring the image onto paper. What I like about this piece is the way he has this really active, dynamic composition, but at the top, we have these passive eyes looking down. This contrast gives the piece an added layer of emotional depth. Thinking of other artists, I can’t help but think of Goya’s prints and drawings, which also focus on very human tragedies with this dark, expressive language. For me, art is more about posing questions than providing answers.