Ginger Shop 1922

This is an etching, Ginger Shop, by John W. Winkler. Look at the scratching, the hatching and cross-hatching, that he has used to build up the image. The printmaking process itself is like a conversation, isn’t it? An intimate, delicate dance of mark-making. I can imagine Winkler, bent over his plate, carefully layering these lines, building up tones of light and shadow. See how the etching captures the textures of the objects on display, the rough-hewn wood, the soft fabrics and the shapes of the jars on the shelves. I wonder what he was thinking about as he made this? Was he interested in the geometry of the shop, or the human presence, or something else? In a way, this print reminds me of the work of other painters, like Rembrandt, who used etching to capture the everyday world. Artists are always in conversation, riffing off each other, trying out new ideas. Ultimately, Winkler invites us to slow down and really look. I wonder what the ginger tasted like back then?