A Cheyenne Woman in the Robes of a Secret Society 1974

Leonard Baskin made this print of a Cheyenne woman in 1974. The restrained use of color feels really particular, like he’s trying to find the perfect balance, not unlike Morandi’s still lifes. Baskin's marks feel really thought through. There’s this real economy in the lines suggesting the robes of the woman’s secret society, but it’s the ink that really makes this piece sing. It’s not overworked, but it has this textural quality that feels intentional. Like he was really thinking about the materiality of the ink and the paper. And, of course, those eyes. They really draw you in, don’t they? Baskin was also a sculptor and printmaker, and I find his use of line echoes the work of someone like Kathe Kollwitz. Both artists grapple with similar themes of human suffering and resilience through the use of stark, expressive lines and tonal contrasts. What do you think?