Calm after Storm 1944

Perle Fine made this print, “Calm after Storm,” with etching techniques that let you feel the weather in your fingertips. The whole image buzzes with marks, like static electricity, and the composition is split into these hazy, atmospheric fields. Look closely at the speckled textures. It’s almost pointillist, tiny dots that create depth, like the aftermath of a rain shower on a window. And then, these bold, dark shapes hover like distant thunderclouds. I am drawn to the way the white areas, especially on the left, are not just blank space, but active parts of the composition. They peek through the darkness, offering a sense of hope or release, like when the sun breaks through the clouds. This push-and-pull between light and dark, chaos and order, reminds me of Goya’s etchings, where beauty and terror dance together in the shadows. Ultimately, the print embraces the unpredictable, much like the creative process itself.