Das Gastmahl des Trimalchio: pl. XI (The Banquet of Trimalchio: pl. XI) 1919

Lovis Corinth made "The Banquet of Trimalchio" with etching on paper, and it’s all about the power of line. You can almost feel him dragging the etching needle across the plate, deciding where to add pressure to build tone and volume. I’m thinking about Corinth working on this. What was it like to have that needle in your hand, making marks, deciding what to keep and what to take away? Did he want to portray the full drama of the scene in all of its grotesque, comical, erotic detail, or, did he want to leave space for the viewer to fill in the gaps? The thinness of the line lets in a certain kind of light and air that a heavier, more forceful mark might not. There is an intensity there, but it is somehow delivered with restraint. Painters are always learning from each other, passing ideas back and forth across time. There are all kinds of conversations going on. Like the banquet itself, this print is rich with possible meanings and interpretations.