Adoration of the Magi 1922

This 'Adoration of the Magi' print—we don’t know when it was made, or by whom—is all about the artist's hand, and the magic that happens when a line becomes form. Look at the pure black ink on the white paper, scratched and hatched into being. The layers of lines build up the figures. I imagine the artist, leaning into the plate, trying to find depth, atmosphere, and drama in the composition. The figures in the scene are not just forms, but emotional beings. The artist uses dense strokes, thick lines, and crosshatching to describe form and volume. The lines create dark and light areas, suggesting not just light and shadow, but a deeper sense of drama. The figures have an urgent need, each one of them has its own narrative and internal life. The artist probably knew other artists' work—passing ideas between themselves. It makes me think of how, as painters, we’re all trying to create something meaningful from the simplest of materials.