Three Score and Ten 1919

Arthur William Heintzelman made this etching called "Three Score and Ten," and what strikes me is how he lets the lines do so much work. It’s like he’s thinking on the plate, each stroke a little search. Check out the hand. It’s not about perfection; it’s about feeling the weight and wear of a life lived. The lines are restless, unsure, yet they build this incredible texture. There's a lot of cross-hatching happening, not to create shade, but to see what the material can do. The way Heintzelman varies the pressure and direction, it reminds me of Rembrandt's etchings. There is a similar sensitivity to the aging of the human form. I think this piece feels very modern, even though it’s working within older traditions. He’s not afraid to let the process show, to keep it raw and exploratory. That's what makes it so alive, so relatable.