The Beggar 1903

Henri Fantin-Latour made 'The Beggar' with lithographic ink, and it feels like a dream caught in monochrome. Look at the way he layers those marks; it’s all about the process of building up tone and texture. I love the surface of this print, so velvety and soft, like a charcoal drawing but with the crispness of lithography. Notice the figure emerging from the darkness, her arms outstretched as if reaching for something just beyond grasp. The second figure in the bottom right is much fainter, like an after image. The stark contrast between the figures and the dense foliage evokes a sense of mystery, maybe even unease. This reminds me of Odilon Redon's ambiguous and dreamlike visions, where figures emerge from the shadows, inviting us to lose ourselves in the realm of the imagination. Ultimately, it's about embracing ambiguity and finding beauty in the unknown.