Kneeling One (Kneide, groß) 1911

Wilhelm Lehmbruck made this intaglio print, Kneeling One, in the early 20th century. The muted tones of this piece are achieved through an involved process, and the result is something quite delicate and affecting. Lehmbruck’s lines are like tentative explorations; they trace the contours of the figure, mapping out the barest of forms, a figure almost fading into the textured ground. The etching has a ghostly quality, like a memory. I love the raw simplicity of the image. The fine lines create a sense of fragility, yet there's strength in the starkness, a confidence in the economy of means. Look at the hands, they’re barely there, just gestural suggestions. Yet, they convey so much, all the emotional weight in the figure. Käthe Kollwitz’s prints come to mind, though she brought a heavier, more politically engaged approach to printmaking. This feels different, more internalized, and more intimate, but equally powerful in its own way. Art is a conversation and it’s amazing to see these artists speaking to us across time.