Frontispiece 1957 - 1961

Anatoli Kaplan made this print called 'Frontispiece' and, oh boy, can I just say, I feel his hand in every mark. Imagine him, maybe in his studio, working with a stone or a plate. Do you see how the texture almost vibrates? Each tiny dot and scratch feels intentional, like he’s coaxing the image out of the material. I wonder what he was thinking about when he made this? The way the composition builds up, the cluster of buildings in the background. This print reminds me of other artists who captured the beauty and complexity of everyday life. Like Morandi, but with more people. Making prints is an act of conversation. Kaplan is talking to us, to other artists, to the world. And we get to listen.