Portrait 1951

This portrait by Germaine Richier is an etching, so made by applying acid to a metal plate to create an image in ink. I love the thick, dark outline that encloses the face, which is more delicately rendered. It reminds me of a mask, or a strange halo. The lines intersecting the face force us to really look. You start wondering: What was Richier thinking as she was making this? Was she interested in architecture? Math? How the two could be combined with the human form? It's so interesting to see how artists work with line. There's something about the sureness and deliberateness of each one. You can feel the artist making decisions, questioning their own moves, maybe. It puts me in mind of Picasso's portraits, and how he used planes to capture different perspectives all at once. Artists like Richier and Picasso are in constant conversation with each other and with us. The history of art is alive and well, just like the figures in their artworks.