Heer en knecht 1927

Erich Wichmann created this small etching titled ‘Heer en knecht’ in 1927. Looking at it, I imagine him in his studio, carefully layering the ink and wiping it away to reveal these two, almost mask-like faces, one atop the other. You can see the hand of the artist here – the pressure of the tool, the deliberate marks, the textures created by the ink. The top face looks serene, almost stoic, while the bottom face seems burdened, its features drooping with a sense of weariness. I wonder, what relationship did Wichmann imagine between these two figures? Perhaps the master and servant of the title? Or maybe they represent different aspects of the same person, in dialogue with themselves. This print reminds me of the raw, emotional power of Käthe Kollwitz’s etchings, and it’s part of a longer conversation among artists grappling with identity, power, and the human condition. It's a testament to how much can be conveyed with such simple means, and an example of how artists use these simple means to pose complex questions.