The Evening Star c. 1910

Henry Wolf made this print called 'The Evening Star', but its date is unknown. The whole thing’s a study in darks, a real nocturne with the barest hint of light, that lone star. Up close, it’s all about the marks. You can almost feel the burr of the drypoint digging into the plate, creating this velvety texture. It’s dark, yes, but the way the lines catch the light gives it a real shimmer. Look at the water: see how the reflections aren't exact, but broken up, like fragmented thoughts? That's what happens when you embrace the process, let the material speak, and let the image emerge. It reminds me a bit of Whistler's moody landscapes, all about atmosphere. Art, after all, is just a conversation across time, a series of echoes and responses. We see what Wolf saw, and then we make it our own.