The Dance 1920

Hans Meid made this etching, The Dance, and it’s all about the scratchy, lively marks. Look closely, and you’ll see how the whole image is built from these tiny lines, like a swarm of bees forming a shape. It’s a process of accumulation, each mark adding to the buzz. The texture here is all about energy; you can almost hear the frantic scrape of the needle on the plate. Take the mass of lines surrounding the stage, for example. They’re chaotic, but they define the space, creating a kind of vibrating boundary. The figure on stage seems both present and dissolving into the atmosphere, a testament to the physicality of the medium. Meid reminds me a little of Ensor, with that shared fascination for crowded scenes and grotesque characters. Ultimately, this print isn’t about telling a fixed story but capturing a fleeting moment, an echo of the dance itself.