Woman Dancing with a Parrot 1915

Troy Kinney made this intaglio print, Woman Dancing with a Parrot, and it looks like a drawing, doesn't it? The dancing woman’s form emerges from an almost infinite number of etched marks, like a drawing. But what I really notice is the mood, dark and shadowy, kind of mysterious. Looking closely, I’m drawn to the way the etched lines create the dancer's swirling dress. The lines are dense, creating a sense of movement, like she's caught in a spin. See how the artist uses these lines to suggest the folds and textures of the fabric? It’s amazing how a simple mark can convey so much. The shadows are really interesting here, because they add depth and drama, making the figure seem to float in space. It reminds me a little of Degas, but with a darker, more intimate feel. Both of them embraced ambiguity, valuing the process over the finished result.