Gothic Lady 1946

Walter Tittle made this etching, Gothic Lady, sometime in the first half of the 20th century. It’s all in shades of grey, made by scratching lines into a metal plate and using acid to bite away at the metal. It's a real hands-on process, and you can feel that labor in every line. Look at the texture. Notice the way the light catches the tiny ridges left by the etching tool. Some areas are smooth, almost polished, while others are rough and raw. It’s all about the push and pull between control and chance. Take a look at the darkest areas of the print. See how the lines are dense and chaotic? It’s almost like Tittle was wrestling with the material, trying to coax the image out of the darkness. This print reminds me a little bit of the work of Joseph Pennell. Both artists were fascinated by architecture. Just as both artists embraced the inherent messiness of the etching process, allowing for unexpected results and multiple interpretations.