Acteon 1947

Kurt Seligmann made this etching, Acteon, using line to create something both chaotic and precise. It's like a detailed doodle, where the process of making is right there on the surface. Look at how Seligmann uses cross-hatching to build up tone, giving volume to these strange figures. There's a real push-pull between the dense areas of shadow and the stark white paper. It's almost like he's sculpting with ink, creating a world that feels both organic and totally alien. It reminds me of Max Ernst, but with a darker, more theatrical edge. The lines are so alive, they wriggle and squirm. This piece suggests that art is a living, breathing thing, full of possibilities and contradictions, where meaning is always shifting and evolving.