Andreas II 1919

Lodewijk Schelfhout made this etching, Andreas II, sometime in the early twentieth century. Look at how Schelfhout coaxes so many textures and tones out of a single colour. It reminds us that artmaking is really about exploring a process, rather than trying to make a perfect picture. The etching is all soft greys and blacks, but the artist's marks aren't hidden. You can see the lines and cross-hatching that create the shadows, like around the boy's face and in the pages of the book. The lines around the boy's curls feel playful and energetic, whereas the lines in the background are much more faded and sparse. It's like Schelfhout is inviting us into Andreas' private world. The mood reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also made a few beautiful paintings of children looking thoughtful and serious. Art's about seeing how other people see, and opening up a space where nothing is really fixed.