Geometric Designs with Facades 1964

Stuart Egnal made this etching titled Geometric Designs with Facades in 1964. It's all done with these tiny, careful marks. There's something really mesmerizing about seeing an artist build a whole world out of simple lines. Looking closely, the buildings seem to be floating in a kind of dream space, the mark making feels both deliberate and intuitive, like the artist is figuring out the structure as he goes along. The texture is created by these layers of hatched lines, almost like woven fabric. I think of an artist like Piranesi, who used a similar technique to create monumental, architectural fantasies, while Egnal’s work is more intimate. Ultimately this is a testament to art's ability to embrace the beauty of multiple perspectives.