Cottage with Five Children 1911

Auguste-Louis Lepère made this etching called Cottage with Five Children. I'm imagining Lepère outside this cottage, squinting in the sunlight, his hand moving across the plate. The lines feel immediate, a flurry of marks building the form of the cottage, the roof like thick unruly hair. I wonder what it was like for him, standing there, trying to capture the scene? Was he thinking about other etchers like Rembrandt, the way they used line and shadow? Or maybe he was just focused on the kids, the way they moved and played. I love the way that he captures the texture of the stone. He’s part of a lineage and tradition of artists, like me, constantly grappling with our materials, trying to see the world in new and interesting ways. His lines are like whispers, inviting us to create our own story.