Personal World 1946

Anne Ryan made this intaglio print, "Personal World," using etching and engraving. The limited palette of grays and blacks creates a muted, contemplative atmosphere. I think that intaglio printing is so cool. You make an image by cutting into a plate and the ink sits in these grooves, before being transferred to paper, which gives the image a slight relief. There's a real sense of texture to the print, the rough surface of the plate is evident, creating a tactile quality. The lines are delicate, almost hesitant, but still create a strong contrast, creating three figures. I love the ambiguity of the composition; it suggests a dreamlike realm, where figures overlap. Check out the figure in the middle with a triangle on their head, that's a bold move. It reminds me of Klee's playful exploration of symbols and figures, and the notion that art is a continual dialogue across time. Ultimately, this print invites us to wander through our own "personal world" of imagination.