Salvadore Rosa c. 1964

Leonard Baskin scratched and etched this image of Salvadore Rosa into a copper plate, before printing it onto paper. I can imagine Baskin hunched over the plate, coaxing out Rosa’s features with his tools. The lines are so delicate, almost tentative, like he's trying to capture a fleeting thought. There’s something vulnerable in Rosa’s eyes, a kind of searching gaze that makes you wonder what he's looking for. I feel Baskin really identified with Rosa, another artist, and I feel a real sense of connection and kinship between them. It’s like they’re in conversation across time, sharing secrets and anxieties about art, life, and everything in between. Looking at this print makes me want to pick up my own tools and join the conversation, adding my own voice to the mix.