Zittende vrouw 1880 - 1932

This delicate etching of a woman was made by Emil Orlik sometime before 1932. I can imagine Orlik in his studio, hunched over the metal plate, carefully coaxing this image into being. The etched lines feel tentative, light and feathery—look at how he’s rendered the woman’s hair, a dark cloud of tiny marks, or the subtle shading on her bare legs. It's as if he wants to capture a fleeting impression, a whisper of form rather than a bold statement. There's a quiet intimacy to this scene. The woman seems lost in thought, her gaze turned inward. You can feel the weight of the moment, the gentle curve of her body as she settles into the soft cushions. It reminds me a little of the work of James McNeill Whistler, who was similarly preoccupied with fleeting and atmospheric effects. This piece feels like a close, personal encounter. Just lovely.