Drie mannen bij schaakspel 1877 - 1952

Paul Hey made this print of three men playing chess using engraving, drypoint and etching, sometime in the 20th century. I can only imagine how carefully Hey must have rendered this scene. Just think about the amount of concentrated looking required to capture the scene so meticulously! The composition is so intricate, with all of the tiny little details. See how the figures emerge gradually from the tonal variation. It's so delicate that it feels like you could reach out and touch the etched surface. As a painter myself, I'm in awe of Hey's meticulous and patient approach. The work also reminds me of other artists who create images through a laborious process of building up layers, such as Vija Celmins' depictions of the night sky. It makes me wonder what they might have been thinking about as they were making their work? I wonder if they might have even been listening to music to help pass the time? Artists are always in conversation with each other across time and space, you know? They're always inspiring each other's creativity, and pushing each other to see the world in new and interesting ways. Ultimately, the painting invites us to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings over time.