Seventh Eclogue: Galatea Whiter than Swan down (Galatee jouant dans l'eau) Possibly 1926

Aristide Maillol made this print of Galatea playing in the water, and what strikes me is how he orchestrates line, making something solid out of these delicate marks. The warm sienna colour sits perfectly on the page, like a sunburn. See how the lines aren’t just descriptive, but they seem to caress the form, giving it weight and volume. The image is framed by a square, within which a circle constrains Galatea and the stylized waves into a little snow globe of antiquity. It reminds me of those moments in the studio when you’re trying to find the right line, the one that captures the essence of the form without getting bogged down in details. Maillol's got this incredible sense of balance, a simplification that feels both modern and timeless. It makes me think of Matisse, another artist who knew how to make a line dance. But where Matisse is all about the energy, Maillol is about the peace and the stillness. Ultimately, art is an invitation, a chance to see the world through someone else’s eyes, even if just for a moment.