Louis XI 1964

Rudy Pozzatti made "Louis XI" in 1964, and it looks like an etching, where the artist coaxes an image out of a metal plate. The spider, trapped in its circular frame, appears both fragile and fearsome. Look closely at the etched lines. They have this wiry quality, a nervous energy that brings the spider to life. The artist isn't just drawing a spider. He's capturing a feeling of being trapped or observed, even. See how the lines around the spider's legs are dense and tangled, creating a sense of texture and depth? It's like the spider is caught in its web of existence. It reminds me of Piranesi’s etchings of prisons, or maybe even some of Goya's darker prints. There’s this shared fascination with the grotesque, but also this deep understanding of the human condition. Art isn’t just about beauty. It’s about confronting the uncomfortable stuff, the anxieties and fears that haunt us.