Théogonie, Page 39 1932

Georges Braque made this print, Théogonie, Page 39, at some point in his career using etching. The marks are so fluid, the composition is abstract and quite disorienting. Look closely, and you’ll see the rich texture created by the etching technique. Braque coaxes many different lines out of the plate, from lyrical looping lines to cross-hatched and more densely engraved areas. It feels as if he’s searching for a structure, a form to hold the composition in place. The various graphic marks are like the nervous system of the image, a mesh of possibilities. The central form looks to me like a cross between a horse and a mythical figure, floating in the center of the space. I find myself thinking about Picasso, who was a close friend of Braque, and shared a similar interest in the nature of visual language. Both artists invite us to embrace ambiguity.