"Drink to the Gates of Paradise" (Book VII: Alyosha, facing p.272) 1949

Fritz Eichenberg created this print, "Drink to the Gates of Paradise", to illustrate Dostoyevsky’s novel, "The Brothers Karamazov". It feels like Eichenberg has carefully and methodically scratched away at the surface of a dark material to bring this scene into being. I can imagine him working late into the night, the only light source illuminating his focused task. I wonder, as he rendered each line, what thoughts and feelings occupied his mind. The cross-hatching creates a dense, almost palpable texture, giving the image a somber, weighty mood. The light from the window falls on the faces of the characters, highlighting their expressions of sorrow, longing, and maybe even despair. The darkness surrounds them, a metaphor for the internal struggles and the weight of their human condition. That figure standing with the drink looks as though he's contemplating his next move in a game of chess. The other two figures seem to be seeking comfort in each other’s embrace. Maybe Eichenberg identified with these characters, or perhaps he saw their struggles reflected in his own life or the world around him. In making this artwork, he’s asking big questions about life, faith, and the human soul.