On the Walchen Sea 1920

Lovis Corinth made this print of the Walchen Sea with etching. The image is built up by many tiny, gestural marks that create depth and texture and a feeling of nature's wild energy. I like to think about what it's like to actually make a print, the amount of work that goes into it, the waiting and unknowing until the final image appears. It requires a lot of trust, doesn't it? He's scratched away at the plate with incredible energy, like the landscape itself is being born out of the earth. The marks seem to mimic the movement of the wind, the flow of the water, and the ruggedness of the mountains. Corinth's print reminds me a bit of other landscape painters like Emil Nolde, who also found ways to translate emotions into nature. Artists seem to inspire each other across time, even without knowing it! His print feels incredibly modern. It shows me how an artist can create a whole world with just a few lines, capturing a feeling more than a perfect picture.