Stilleven met runderschedel, kruik en lap 1935

This still life etching by W. Marchal uses these really delicate marks to create a layered, almost ghostly image. You can see how the bone-white skull contrasts with the deep, dark shadows. It makes you think about the artist's process, building up the image line by line. Look at how the light catches the curve of the horn. The etching feels like a kind of performance, you know? The artist scratching into the metal, bit by bit, revealing the image. It's a slow, deliberate dance, and you can almost feel the weight of the artist’s hand in the final print. Notice the shadow looming behind the skull? It gives the whole scene a kind of spooky depth, like something out of a dream. This reminds me of Goya’s darker etchings, which also play with light and shadow to create a sense of unease. It’s this ongoing conversation that artists have, wrestling with the big questions about life, death, and everything in between, leaving us to wonder what it all means.