Portrait of J.P. (J. Patrelle) 1931

Jacques Villon made this etching, Portrait of J.P. (J. Patrelle), using closely-hatched lines to construct the image. It’s like he's building up the form, not with blocks of colour, but with these intricate, interconnected lines. You get the sense that making the art is an act of layering and refining, a kind of drawing and re-drawing. The texture created by the etched lines is so tactile, so present. They catch the light in a way that suggests both solidity and fragility. Notice the way the lines around the subject’s eyes deepen, creating these pools of shadow. It’s like Villon is excavating the face. It’s about how that little area creates a focal point, almost like a concentrated emotional charge within the piece. Villon’s approach reminds me of Picasso's analytical cubism. Both artists seem interested in breaking down forms into their most basic components, and then reassembling them in ways that challenge our perception. Art is not just about seeing, it’s about thinking through seeing.