Bretonse oude vrouw met kap before 1914

Charles Cottet made this etching, Bretonse oude vrouw met kap, of a Breton old woman with a cap sometime between 1863 and 1925. Just look at the delicate line work. You can almost feel the pressure of the artist's hand as he carefully etched each line into the plate. I wonder if Cottet was thinking about Rembrandt when he made this? There's a similar sense of empathy in both artists' portraits of older people. The way Cottet uses light and shadow to create a sense of depth and texture is really beautiful, and it reminds me of some of my favorite printmakers. Look at the way he captured the folds and wrinkles in her face. It's like he's not just showing us what she looks like, but also telling us something about her life, her experience. That look in her eye? It's like she's seen it all. Artists, right? Always inspiring each other across time.