Emigrants 1922

Emil Orlik made this print, Emigrants, at an unknown date, using etching. The image is built from a complex web of closely worked marks, creating many different tones and textures. What’s striking is how Orlik uses this approach to convey the emotional gravity of the scene. There’s a collective mood of weariness, even resignation, that seems built into the very fabric of the print. Look at the way he renders the blanket wrapped around the child, it’s almost like a shroud. Each line, each tone, adds to the overall feeling of displacement and loss. Orlik’s work reminds me of Kathe Kollwitz, another artist who used printmaking to depict the struggles of ordinary people. There’s a similar sense of empathy in both their work, a willingness to confront difficult subjects head-on. Ultimately, Emigrants is a powerful reminder of art’s ability to bear witness to the human condition, in all its complexity and pain.