Herbert Esche's Daughter 1905

Edvard Munch made this print, *Herbert Esche's Daughter*, using etching. The image shimmers into being from delicate line work, emerging from the white of the page. I can imagine Munch, peering closely, gently coaxing this portrait out of the metal plate. It is all about touch, isn't it? The scratching, the biting of the acid, the wiping of the plate. There is this dance with the material. In a way, the artist is trying to grasp and hold onto something fleeting. Childhood. Innocence. The lack of color invites us to see how just a few lines, strategically placed, can conjure a whole world of emotion. The subtle shading around her eyes hints at a depth of character. The way the lines thicken and thin, suggesting the curve of a cheek or the softness of hair. Munch knew how to make every mark count. It's as if he's saying, "Look closely, feel deeply, and you might just glimpse the soul." And that's what all us artists are trying to do, really.