Burial of Atala 1907

Timothy Cole created this intaglio print, Burial of Atala, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. It’s somber, dramatic, and monochrome. I’m thinking about the artist meticulously carving into the surface to produce this image, slowly building up the tones to convey the atmosphere. You can see the mourning man and the priest who is holding the woman in the cave. I wonder what Cole was thinking as he made this? Was he empathizing with the loss, and thinking about the actual event or the original painting? The dramatic lighting and poses of the figures certainly create this mournful scene. What draws me to it is the level of detail and precision. It reminds me of those old master printmakers and their dedication to the craft. There is an ongoing dialogue between printmakers and painters, each informing the other, and creating unique interpretations across media.