Art Connoisseurs 1912

Otto Greiner made this print, Art Connoisseurs, with etching. Greiner's cross-hatching creates a density of lines that give the figures weight and volume; the artist is focused intently on his work, while the older connoisseur looms from behind. It's a tender moment - you can almost feel the intensity of the artist's gaze as he works on his print. What is he thinking as he makes this? Is he aware of the other figure? Maybe he wants to show the old guy what he's been working on, hoping he'll get some kind of approval. Or maybe he's dreading it, worried about what he's going to say. It's funny, right? I can totally relate. We all want to be seen and understood, especially by the people we respect. And I bet Greiner felt that way too. He wanted to be part of the conversation, part of the history. Us artists, we're all just trying to figure it out as we go along.