Head of Man with Beard 1931

Elias Grossman made this etching of an old man in the first half of the 20th century. Look at the mass of dry lines, the way they build up like strokes of charcoal! I can imagine Grossman hunched over the plate, carefully scratching away to create the shadows and textures of the man’s face and beard. What was he thinking as he etched? Maybe about aging, maybe about mortality, or maybe just trying to capture the weight and wisdom in those eyes. I mean, look at how the beard emerges from the darkness, a cloud of white that almost obscures the man’s chest. The man's soft hat, a little dark halo. It’s all a bit like chiaroscuro, but with the added grittiness and tactility of the etching process. It’s funny how a single piece can be both intimate and distant, a snapshot of a moment and a timeless meditation on the human condition.