A House 1961

Anton Lehmden made this etching, "A House", sometime after 1929. Look at the swarm of hatching lines! It feels almost architectural, mapping the contours of a monumental building – maybe a castle? – in some imagined, ruined city. I can only imagine what Lehmden was thinking as he made this. Maybe he saw himself as an archaeologist carefully excavating the past, or an architect designing a building that can never quite come into being. What I love about etching is its ability to convey detail and depth through the layering of lines. See how the texture is built up, how he renders shadow and light? There's a lot of art historical conversation going on here, but it's also doing its own thing. Artists like Lehmden keep that dialogue alive, offering new perspectives and creative solutions. I love the way the image embraces uncertainty, inviting us to wander and wonder about the possibilities.