Une, Deux, Trois, Quatre Dames 1924

Jules Pascin made this etching, *Une, Deux, Trois, Quatre Dames,* with a nervous energy. The drypoint line work is kind of delicate, like a spider web, and it's not trying to be perfect, you know? There's this fragility to the bodies that gets under my skin. The figures almost seem to dissolve into the background, which is itself so delicately rendered. I love the way Pascin teases out the textures – the subtle shading on their skin, the way he suggests the folds of fabric with just a few strokes. Look at the lines suggesting the floor, or whatever it is they are sitting on, they seem almost haphazard at first glance, but they give the whole composition its sense of depth. Pascin was influenced by artists like Watteau, who also sought to portray fleeting moments of beauty and pleasure. But I feel like Pascin's got a kind of modern angst that Watteau didn't have. It's not about perfection, it's about capturing the raw, messy, and imperfect beauty of life.