Head of a girl 1914

Here's a print by Jan Mankes, Head of a Girl, and it’s all about these delicate, etched lines. I imagine him bent over the plate, carefully building up the image, mark by mark. You know, when I look at this girl, I wonder what Mankes was thinking. Was it a portrait of someone he knew? Or just an idea of innocence he was trying to capture? There’s this incredible stillness about her, a quiet intensity in the way he’s rendered her gaze. The texture is so interesting, isn't it? See how the density of the marks creates the shadows on her face, giving her form and depth. And the way the lines curve and flow to suggest the shape of her hair, it's so subtle. It reminds me of other graphic artists like Paula Rego, who use line to convey emotion and narrative. It’s like they’re all having this conversation across time, each adding their own voice to the story of art. It's like a collaboration between artists who can really respond to each other. I think it shows how painting isn't about answers; it's about the questions we ask.