Curb Market, Arles France 1940

Benjamin Brown made this print, 'Curb Market, Arles France,' and it’s all about the dance of lines and textures, like a visual poem etched onto paper. Look closely, and you see how the artist builds up the image stroke by stroke, creating a world out of light and shadow. The surface has this beautiful, almost velvety feel. The lines vary in thickness and depth, which gives a real sense of depth and atmosphere. Notice the way the artist suggests the bustling market scene with just a few marks – a basket overflowing with goods, the folds of a coat, the dappled light filtering through the trees. It's amazing how much information can be conveyed with so little. For me, this print feels like a cousin to the work of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who knew how to wring every last drop of emotion out of the etched line. It’s a reminder that art isn't about perfect representation but about the messy, beautiful process of seeing and feeling.