Bedelaars 1908

Pieter Dupont made this small engraving called ‘Bedelaars,’ which is Dutch for Beggars, at an unknown date. Look at the density of lines, so close together, they create an image that feels like a photograph. You can almost feel the scratch of the metal plate against the paper. The contrast is stark, the detail amazing. The figures of the men, etched so precisely, appear weary. But consider that this effect is achieved through labor, through the careful, intentional direction of the burin as it is dragged through the metal. Look at the way each line is placed to build up areas of shadow and depth. I’m reminded of the work of Käthe Kollwitz, also a printmaker, who similarly imbued her work with a deep sense of empathy for her subjects. It’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, and that even in the smallest of works, there can be a whole world of meaning.