The Banquet of Trimalchio – pl.I 1919

Lovis Corinth made this etching of The Banquet of Trimalchio, plate I, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century. It’s all about the process of mark-making, a frenzy of lines that seem to capture a moment of grotesque revelry. Look closely, and you can see how the lines build up to create depth and shadow. The chaotic hatching around the figure gives him a sense of weight and volume, while the finer lines suggest the texture of his skin and the folds of his toga. It's like Corinth is wrestling with the image, trying to pin down the essence of this decadent character through sheer force of line. There’s an area on the right with vertical marks, they remind me of a rainstorm, or maybe a torrent of wine spilling down. It reminds me of some of Goya's darker prints, where the line itself becomes a vehicle for exploring the more unsettling aspects of human nature. Ultimately, it's up to us to find our own meaning in its chaotic beauty.