Hoofd van Christus 1917

Lodewijk Schelfhout made this small etching, Hoofd van Christus, or Head of Christ, on paper. See how the lines create a sense of depth, like looking through a barred window. Up close, the network of hatching marks that create the image are so clear. Each line is precise and deliberate. They almost look like the work of a ballpoint pen, where the ink sits on the surface of the paper. This gives the image a graphic quality, making it feel modern and immediate. The flat, gray area below Christ’s head is interesting. It's like a pause, or a moment of reflection, before the artist continues the image. It reminds me of the kind of experimentation you see in Picasso’s etchings. Artists like Schelfhout and Picasso show us that art is a process of exploration, a way of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world. There's no right or wrong way, just an ongoing conversation across time.