Plato's Cave 1959

Minna Citron made this etching, Plato’s Cave, using a metal plate to make multiple impressions, but each one is unique. It's mostly dark, but there's this glowing shape in the center, like a lost world trying to surface. I imagine Minna hunched over the plate, the acid biting into the metal, her hand guiding the tool, each scratch and mark a little decision. You can sense that this wasn’t just about illustrating a philosophical idea but about feeling it out, you know? About working through it. Look closely and you will see the texture of the shadows, which make the lighter forms seem to glow. It’s like she’s conjuring light out of darkness, questioning what is real and what is simply a shadow of reality. Painters are always grappling with the same things: How do you make something appear on a flat surface? How do you make it feel real? Minna Citron does not provide answers but provides further questions.