Stock Exchange of Rome 1930

Anton Schutz made this etching, Stock Exchange of Rome, sometime in the early to mid 20th century, and looking at the lines, it's clear he's thinking about architecture as a kind of performance. See how the dense marks create depth and shadow. Look at the columned facade of the Stock Exchange. The building looms, rendered with a sharp, graphic quality. It's like he's wrestling with the essence of a structure, not just its appearance. The etched lines give a sense of movement, almost as if the building itself is breathing. The way Schutz contrasts these architectural forms with the everyday life bustling around it—the cars, the figures—it's almost cinematic. It reminds me of Piranesi and his etchings of Rome. Both had the same eye for the theatricality of architecture. The world is a stage, right? And art? Well, it's just one long, never-ending conversation.