Portret van Juliane zu Rantzau 1880 - 1932

Emil Orlik made this drypoint etching, *Portret van Juliane zu Rantzau,* in 1915. You can see it in the close, scratchy lines that swarm around the form of her headscarf, how they define the textures and shapes. I like to think about the process of making art – the artist hunched over the plate, pulling the tool across the surface, each line a commitment. It’s a delicate dance between control and accident, precision and intuition. Did you ever wonder what it must have been like for Emil Orlik? What was he thinking as he etched the lines that define the texture of her headdress, or the subtle shading of her face? That’s the thing about art, isn't it? It invites us into a space of imagination. It’s an invitation to dream.