Rameses II 1909

David Young Cameron made this etching of Rameses II. It's all about the line, isn't it? The way an etching is made, it's all about the artist's hand, the pressure on the tool, the decision about where to dig in and where to let the light shine. Look at the dark, almost chaotic scribbles behind Rameses' head. That's not just shadow; it's energy. It's like the artist is wrestling with the weight of history, the mystery of this ancient figure. See the way the lines defining his face are so delicate and precise, creating this calm, regal profile. Etchings like this always make me think of Piranesi, the way he used line to create these incredible, imaginary spaces. There's a similar feeling here, this sense of a world just beyond our grasp, a conversation between then and now. Art isn't about answers; it's about the questions we ask along the way.