El Greco 1903

This engraving of El Greco by Timothy Cole is at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I imagine Cole, hunched over a plate, his eyes intensely focused, translating the energy of El Greco's original painting into a dance of lines and tones. It’s like he's trying to catch lightning in a bottle, right? There’s a dialogue happening across time, with Cole deeply immersed in El Greco’s visual language. Think about the sheer concentration it takes to carve those tiny lines, to suggest texture and form with such precision. Each mark is a decision, a response to the original artist's intent. There’s a softness to the face that belies the rigidity of the ruff, and a light in his eyes, full of certainty. He’s holding his tools so assuredly! It’s a reminder that artists are always in conversation with one another, borrowing, stealing, and transforming ideas across generations.