Wolf Robe 1972

Leonard Baskin made this print, Wolf Robe, in 1972. Look at these bold black strokes! They remind me of charcoal drawings. I wonder, was Baskin thinking about printmaking as a type of drawing? I feel like I can see the artist searching, feeling his way through the form. See how the marks around the nose, eyes, and mouth really nail the sense of this man’s face looking back at us. He’s caught the dignity and gravity of Wolf Robe, and that ink is so alive, so liquid, it’s almost running off the page, like he can hardly hold him there. And there’s this curious detail, a miniature portrait is worked into the pattern of his tie, which introduces a surreal twist to the image. I'm reminded of other artists who have explored portraiture through graphic means, like Kathe Kollwitz, especially her stark portrayals of grief and resilience. Artists are always in conversation, aren’t they?