Seated Man c. 1950

Pierre Tal-Coat made this print, Seated Man, using etching, a process that's all about mark-making. Looking at this image, it's the raw, almost scratchy lines that grab you. See how they build up the shadows under his chair, or define the folds of his clothes? There's this real sense of searching, of Tal-Coat figuring out the form as he goes. I like the way he uses the hatching to make the background feel active. It's not just flat space, but a kind of buzzing energy around the figure. And then there's the skull – tucked away, almost hidden. It adds a layer of contemplation. This reminds me of Picasso. It shares that kind of restless, exploratory spirit, that willingness to let the process lead. Art is never really finished, right? It's a conversation across time.