Illustration to Novalis, "Hymmen an die NachtRosenhammer" Possibly 1942

This illustration to Novalis' "Hymmen an die Nacht", by Imre Reiner, is made with what looks like lithographic ink on paper. Look at the way those lines build up, a real dance of darks and lights. You can sense the artist feeling his way through the image, letting the subject emerge through the process. There's something so satisfying about the materiality of this piece. The grainy texture of the ink, the way it sits on the surface, it all invites you in, doesn't it? Notice that sky at the top, a few dark horizontal strokes suggesting brooding clouds. It’s like Reiner is pulling back the curtain on his process, letting us see the mechanics of how the image comes to be. It makes the flowers in the vase feel all the more alive. This reminds me a little of Odilon Redon's dreamy charcoal drawings, but with a slightly more graphic edge. It shows how artists are always in conversation with each other across time. Reiner gives a nod to the past while forging his own path.