Gargantua: Chapter VIII - Ses bijoux 1942

This print, Gargantua: Chapter VIII - Ses bijoux, was made by Bernard Reder. You can see how Reder uses the contrast of black ink on paper to build the forms, with the details etched like memories onto the surface. The graphic nature of the medium gives the image a direct, raw energy. Look closely, you can see how the lines vary in thickness and direction, creating texture and depth. The hands, adorned with elaborate rings, are massive, almost monstrous, dominating the composition. The rings themselves are like miniature worlds, each one a tiny sculpture, grotesque and beautiful at the same time. These elements make me think of artists like Max Ernst. Reder’s focus on process and materials, coupled with the freedom to play with form and meaning, invites multiple interpretations, defying any single, fixed reading.