Sketch of Two Male Heads 1915

This print of two men’s heads was made by Lovis Corinth at some unknown time. What strikes me is this intense gaze that follows you. Corinth was a master of etching, and here the lines are dancing like quicksilver. Look at how he captures the weight of the flesh, the way light glances off a wrinkled brow. You can almost feel the burin scratching the plate. I wonder if Corinth was thinking of Rembrandt's portraits, the way he could dig into a face and find the soul lurking beneath. Maybe he was picturing one figure whispering advice into the ear of another, the way artists do with one another through time. I’ve always felt that printmaking is like a conversation. The artist makes a mark, and the plate responds. Then the paper absorbs the ink, and a new voice emerges. It's all about embracing the unexpected, letting the materials lead you somewhere new. Corinth’s print is like that – a little rough, a little wild, but full of life.