Pietà 1920

This intaglio print ‘Pietà’ was made by Lovis Corinth sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. The composition is built up through complex arrangements of cross-hatching that give the scene its somber, melancholic tone. You can see the artist's hand in the frantic, scratchy lines. I imagine Corinth hunched over the plate, acid fumes in his nostrils, his mind abuzz with the emotional weight of this scene of grief. Lines form shadows, build volume, and also express an emotional intensity that cuts through the surface. The scene feels like a raw, unfiltered cry, a kind of release, or unburdening. There is a feeling of shared vulnerability, of acknowledging the universal experience of loss and pain. Like a blues riff, it's both a lament and a form of catharsis. And like all great works of art, it resonates with the echoes of countless other artists who have grappled with similar themes throughout history.