The Woman in the Arbour Possibly 1906

Augustus John created this etching, The Woman in the Arbour, with ink and a metal plate. Look at the scratching, the way it creates light and shadow. I can imagine the artist bent over the plate, needling the image into existence. The cross-hatching in the background feels chaotic, but it is contained by the clear figure in the foreground. I wonder what John was thinking when he made this? The woman is so pensive, resting her head on her hand. The lines around her body feel so alive. It reminds me a little of Rembrandt, with his fluid, frenetic mark-making. Artists are always in conversation with one another, riffing off of each other's ideas, and building on the past. Ultimately, painting is about expression, embracing ambiguity, and allowing for multiple readings.