Monte Pincio III 1912

Hans Meid created this print, Monte Pincio III, using etching to capture a park scene, and it’s all about the line. Look at how he varies the marks, from dense, scratchy lines to build up the darks of the tree trunk on the left, to the more delicate, sparse lines that suggest the hazy distance. You can sense his hand moving across the plate, making decisions, responding to the image as it emerges. The palm trees feel like a kind of shorthand, quickly and efficiently described, yet full of character. I particularly like the contrast between the solid, grounded figures in the foreground and the more amorphous crowd in the background. It’s a reminder that art isn’t about perfection, but about the energy of the process, the conversation between the artist and the work. Think of Whistler’s etchings and you’ll see a similar approach, a shared interest in capturing the fleeting moments of modern life with a sense of immediacy and intimacy.