María Sacchi Reading 1907

This is Umberto Boccioni's etching of Maria Sacchi reading, it's all about the dance of line and shadow. Imagine Boccioni hunched over the plate, the acid biting into the metal, him coaxing the image into being. The woman reading is enveloped by linear energy. The bold lines define her form but also seem to vibrate around her, capturing a sense of movement and the dynamic energy of thought. Look at the cross-hatching; it builds up the shadows on her face and clothing. Each stroke seems deliberate. I wonder what Maria was reading. Did Boccioni ask her to sit still or did he capture her unawares, lost in the pages? You know, artists are in constant dialogue. Boccioni's mark-making reminds me of the graphic intensity of German Expressionist printmaking, but charged with an Italian Futurist zeal. It is like he wanted to capture not just what she looked like, but how reading felt. It is this interplay of intention and accident that makes the artwork sing!