An Honest Living 1934

Minna Citron created "An Honest Living" using etching. The composition uses a muted palette of blacks, whites and grays which creates a somber mood, but also allows for close observation of form and texture. The etching technique lends itself to a tonally complex image, which is really evident when you look at the subject's clothing. The lines, which vary in thickness and density, create a sense of depth and volume, almost like a sculptural relief. You can see it most clearly in the folds of the woman's coat. The way Citron uses these lines to define the contours of the figure gives it an almost tactile quality. Citron's work, in its focus on process, can be compared to artists like Louise Bourgeois. It’s this ability to embrace ambiguity, to let the process guide the work, that makes Citron's art so compelling.