Jehan Rictus 1921

This is Théophile Alexandre Steinlen’s portrait of Jehan Rictus, likely made in 1921, given the date inscribed on the artwork. It’s not a painting, but an etching, so it’s all about the line. Look at the density of those lines, hatching away to create tones and depth in the figure's face and beard. You can imagine Steinlen bent over the plate, carefully layering those marks, building up the image bit by bit, almost like he's sculpting with ink. I wonder what he was thinking about as he scratched away at the metal? Probably about Rictus. The composition feels so intimate, like you are in the same room as the artist and his sitter. The technique reminds me a little of Käthe Kollwitz. You can see the cross-hatching. It gives the picture space. Artists often use their peers as subjects; it’s a form of admiration and acknowledgement. I always think of artists as being in conversation, riffing off each other, across time and space.