La Parisienne (20) 1902

Jacques Villon made this print, La Parisienne, with soft ground etching and aquatint, creating a delicate scene with a woman resting in a chair. I imagine him, in his studio, carefully layering tones, building up the image through a process of trial and error, wiping back and adding more. The palette is muted, like faded memories. Look at the chair—it’s this coral, pinky-red hue. It's like a burst of life in an otherwise pastel world. I wonder, was Villon thinking of the subject's interior life as he made the work? What was he trying to capture about this woman? The wispy lines are almost like a ghost; her form emerges and recedes, capturing a fleeting moment. You can see the influence of other painters like Degas and Manet. Artists are always responding to each other, building on what came before. With its emphasis on process, the print invites us to consider our own perceptions and emotional responses. There is no one way to understand it.