Leverrier 1975 - 1979

This photogravure, ‘Leverrier’, was made by Goupil & Cie. sometime between 1850 and 1884. I imagine the artist hovering over the plate, etching with focused intensity to capture the character's dignity. You can see the textures of the paper, like layers of thought made visible. The sepia tones blend into a sea of shadows and light, softening the hard edges of the man's suit. It makes me wonder what he was thinking, gazing intently, as the artist worked. The fine lines that make up his face are like wrinkles of time itself. I can see how the artist’s hand moved, pressing and releasing, to create a sense of depth and presence. Photography, like painting, is also a process of making marks and constructing images, where each choice shapes the narrative. It has its own physical language and vocabulary, just like painting. It is an ongoing conversation across time, in which artists find endless ways to capture the human spirit.