Broken Face 1964

Mordecai Moreh made this etching, entitled 'Broken Face,' likely in the 1960s. The printmaking process begins with incising lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. Here, the lines define the boundaries of a face, seemingly fractured and reassembled. Moreh’s method has strong social and cultural resonance. The linear quality of the etched lines is critical, allowing for the creation of multiple, nearly identical images. This is the essence of printmaking: to produce multiples, extending art's accessibility. The "10/25" marked on the print indicates this is the tenth impression of an edition of twenty-five. The image evokes themes of fragility and fragmentation, mirrored in the meticulous yet reproducible process of its making. Ultimately, understanding the materials and methods used in ‘Broken Face’ enriches our appreciation, merging artistic expression with the means of production.