Sisyphus 1914

Max Klinger made this etching of Sisyphus, a mortal from Greek mythology doomed to repeat the same meaningless task for eternity. Look at the scratches of the dark ink that defines this poor guy’s struggle! I feel for the artist who made this! He seems so full of emotion and drama. Etching is a slow, slow process—you have to imagine Klinger bent over the metal plate, scratching the lines to create shadow, line, and form, and thinking about what it means to be trapped in a thankless task. I wonder if Klinger felt like Sisyphus in his own life, pushing against the current of artistic trends. It makes me think about how all artists are always wrestling with the past and our own limitations. I bet Klinger knew that his own work would one day be part of this never-ending conversation.