The Raid 1910

Auguste-Louis Lepère made this intaglio print, 'The Raid', in the late nineteenth century. It’s full of these tiny, dark, energetic marks, like Lepère was trying to capture not just what he saw, but also the feeling of a chaotic scene unfolding. I can imagine him, bent over the plate, pushing the tool, trying to get the mood just right. How do you catch a moment that is all about movement and emotion? Look at the way he uses light—these bright bursts surrounded by deep shadows. It reminds me of Daumier, both drawn to the theatre of the everyday. There's a real sense of urgency, figures caught mid-motion, a story hinted at but never fully revealed. It is like the print itself is alive with a nervous energy. You see those rapid lines suggesting frantic escape. It is a whole world in such a small picture plane.