Ex libris van Andor Schäffer 1934

Kornél Révész created this tiny bookplate, Ex libris van Andor Schäffer, using etching, with all those lines bitten into the metal. It's a world in miniature! There’s such incredible detail and delicacy in this little piece. Look at how Révész uses line to create depth and texture, the way he suggests the weight of the tree and the lightness of the figure. The nude woman, reaching up to the branches, is drawn with a confidence and sensuality that is at odds with the graphic, almost cartoony quality of the other aspects of the scene. It is a great example of how a simple medium can be used to create a complex and evocative image. It’s a testament to the power of art to communicate ideas and emotions. Révész reminds me a bit of Aubrey Beardsley, who also mixed the erotic with the graphic. Both artists invite us to see the world in a new light.