Nude Sketches 1917

This is Nude Sketches, made in 1911 by John Sloan using etching. You can really see the process in this piece. I mean, it is called sketches, right? But, I’m always interested in the labour involved in making things, the feeling that something has been worked over. Here, the etched lines create a sense of volume and depth. The figures are built up with cross-hatching, giving them a three-dimensional quality. I love the way the lines vary in thickness and density. Take a look at the figure on the right, her face is tilted up, lost in thought, almost dissolving into the background. The etching is so detailed, you can see all the little marks and scratches that went into making the image. Sloan was part of the Ashcan School, who were interested in everyday life. This piece is a study, an exercise in seeing. It reminds me of Degas, another artist who was fascinated by the human body in motion, and who often used printmaking to explore new ways of seeing. Art is an ongoing conversation, and there's always something new to discover.