Danse Macabre 1904

Marcel Roux made this etching, Danse Macabre, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Roux's process is about building up detail, stroke by stroke, which is a kind of performance in itself. The texture is incredible, like looking through a rain-streaked window. The way the ink sits on the paper feels almost sculptural, defying the flatness you expect from a print. Look at the skeletal figure ringing the bell. See how the sharp, wiry lines create a sense of decay but also of movement? The bell-ringer's stance is mirrored by the angel with the deceased, suggesting a connection between the mortal and spectral realms. Roux reminds me a little of Goya, who was also obsessed with the macabre. But unlike Goya, there's a lightness to Roux’s touch, a sense of humor amidst the darkness. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art can hold space for both the beautiful and the unsettling.