The Two Dogs 1719

Editor: This is Claude Gillot's "The Two Dogs," an etching. The linear quality gives it a crisp feel. What strikes you about the composition? Curator: Indeed. Notice how Gillot uses line to define form and space. The architectural elements, combined with the animals, create a play between organic and geometric forms. It appears to be a study in contrasts. Editor: I hadn't considered the contrast between the natural and the man-made. Curator: Consider the arrangement of light and dark, too. How does the artist's strategic use of hatching and cross-hatching affect your reading? Editor: It does create depth and highlights the tension in the scene. Thanks for pointing that out!