Mandshoved med blød hat 1904

This etching, "Man's Head with Soft Hat," was made by Cilius Andersen around 1904. It’s a head study of an old man with a pipe and the kind of soft hat that only old men can get away with. The etching is all in these tight little lines. If you look closely, you can see how the cross-hatching builds up to create form, especially around the face and hat. It's like he's mapping the topography of this guy's face. There is a strong contrast between the darks of the beard and hat, and the plain paper that remains untouched. You can see a whole lot of character in the crinkles around his eyes. It’s a beautiful illustration of the way the passage of time maps itself onto a human face. The way Andersen uses line reminds me a little of Käthe Kollwitz, who also had an eye for the everyday struggles and quiet moments of human existence. In the end, it’s the immediacy of the line that pulls you in.