Illustration to Voltaire, "La Princesse de Babilone" 1941

Imre Reiner created this illustration to Voltaire's "La Princesse de Babilone" using graphic techniques that feel both precise and spontaneous. There is a real sense of process. The stark contrast and linear quality of the print immediately grab you. Notice how Reiner uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up shadows, defining the figures with bold, expressive lines. Take, for instance, the face on the left. See how those deeply etched lines not only describe form, but also seem to convey a sense of character, almost a ruggedness. That dense, almost aggressive mark-making gives the print a tactile quality, like you could feel the pressure of the tool on the plate. This reminds me of the work of Picasso, particularly his graphic work, but with a darker, more brooding energy. Ultimately, it invites us to revel in the beauty of imperfection, where meaning is not fixed, but emerges through the very act of looking.