Euripides/Medea 1964

Imre Reiner made this print, Euripides/Medea, using black ink to build up layered textures and simple lines. Look how the figures are built with the bare minimum. Like a child’s drawing, but with a real punch. I love the way the flat shapes of the faces float on the textured ground. Notice that furious guy on the left with the scribbled hair? His mouth is a dark pit. There are just two lines for his arms, but I can feel his anger. Look at Medea up top: she’s all smooth curves, a cool contrast to that guy’s rage. It’s like she’s floating above it all, detached, but still part of the drama. This reminds me of Picasso’s line drawings; the way he could say so much with so little, suggesting these complex emotions with just a few strokes. It shows how art doesn't need to be complicated to hit you hard.