Esther 1903

Augustus John created this etching, a portrait of Esther, using fine lines to build up the image. You know, when I look at this, I can almost feel John coaxing the image into being. He seems to be pulling Esther out of the darkness, one delicate stroke at a time. I can only imagine the artist’s focus. Was he thinking about Rembrandt as he worked? I like to imagine that he was, anyway. The way John uses light and shadow feels like a nod to the old master. Take a look at the way the light falls on Esther’s face and how her hair seems to blend into the background. See those radiating marks? They almost vibrate with energy. I find myself thinking about how artists carry on conversations with each other across time, learning, borrowing, and riffing off each other’s ideas. Ultimately, it's a reminder that we’re all part of something bigger, this ongoing quest to make sense of the world through art.