His Excellency Ferdinand Foch 1921

Walter Tittle made this print of His Excellency Ferdinand Foch with etching on paper. Look at the web of tiny lines that form the general’s face; they remind me of wrinkles and age, but also the painstaking detail that goes into creating a likeness. The texture is fascinating, isn't it? From the smooth, almost untouched areas, to the densely worked sections around the eyes and mustache, there's a real sense of depth and volume conjured from such simple means. The way the lines bunch together gives a weightiness to his features, especially those magnificent whiskers. Notice that the lines are not only descriptive, but also expressive, conveying the weight of command and experience. It reminds me of some of Whistler's portraits, with a similar focus on capturing the essence of the sitter through a kind of understated intensity. Art's like a conversation, right? Always borrowing and building on what came before. It invites us to look closer, to feel the presence of a person captured in a moment.