Untitled (An Officer Reading Dispatches in Candle-Lit Barracks, World War I) 1917 - 1919

This untitled print of officers by Jules André Smith is made with dark, scratchy lines that flicker like the candlelight it depicts. I imagine Smith hunched over a plate, carving out these marks, trying to get at the feeling of being in that dimly lit barracks. The scene is full of worry: the weight of responsibility sitting heavy on their shoulders. How to convey that feeling through a single, unwavering line? It’s like trying to catch smoke – you have to move fast, trust your instincts, and let the marks lead the way. Look at the way the light flares around the candle, almost blinding. Smith captures the drama of the moment. It’s like he’s saying, "This is what it felt like: the intensity, the uncertainty, the sheer weight of it all." Artists throughout time have always looked at one another's work. Perhaps this piece in turn has inspired other artists in their pursuit of capturing a feeling. It is a reminder that art is never really finished but continues to evolve.