Mendicant Family of a Fallen Hero (Scena simbolica--Gruppo di famiglia dell'eroe caduto con elmetto) c. 1920

Ernesto Bazzaro made this etching, Mendicant Family of a Fallen Hero, with ink on paper. The monochromatic palette and sketchy lines create a haunting image. You can feel the weight of each stroke, as if Bazzaro was wrestling with the subject matter himself. The texture is raw, the lines exposed, and the surface feels almost brittle. The way he renders light and shadow with these frantic marks is pretty moving. Take a look at the child holding the helmet; the face is barely there, just a collection of quick lines, but it speaks volumes about loss and the disruption of innocence. Bazzaro’s work reminds me a little of Kathe Kollwitz, with its focus on social themes. Art is so good at this, isn't it? It keeps the conversation going, reminding us that history is never really in the past. And that meaning is something we all bring to the table.