La Récréation 1930

Mily Possoz made this print, La Récréation, with etching, a process that's all about mark-making. Look closely, and you'll see the whole thing's built from lines and tiny dots. There's a dreamy, almost surreal quality to the piece, isn't there? Possoz creates depth and texture, not through color, but through the density and direction of her marks. See how she uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up the shadows and volume in the figures' dresses? The lines aren't just outlines; they're doing the work of light and shadow. And it's a playful kind of shadow, like something from a children's book. Take a look at the flower in the foreground. Each petal is defined by the most delicate lines, almost like the artist is tracing a memory. It reminds me a bit of Redon, who was also interested in this sort of dream logic. There's a real sense of play and imagination here.