The Merchant's Family 1957 - 1961

Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan made this, "The Merchant's Family", by working up the lithographic stone with what looks like crayon or a dry brush. Notice how the marks don't blend, but accumulate, a process of layering that feels like adding up the years of a family. There's something about the texture, that grainy surface, which gives it a slightly out-of-focus, dreamlike quality. It's like the whole scene is a memory, filtered through time. Look at the way Kaplan defines the father's beard with these short, choppy strokes, like he's building up a form. This relates to the work as a whole, creating a sense of weight and presence, but also vulnerability. This piece reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz's prints, both in its social themes and use of lithography to make emotionally resonant images. It's a reminder that art isn't just about what you see, but how it makes you feel, and how it connects you to the shared human experience.