Woman at Her Bath 1908

Suzanne Valadon's 'Woman at Her Bath' at the Art Institute of Chicago, is an etching made with subtle lines that evoke a sense of intimacy. Imagine Valadon hunched over the plate, her hand guiding the etching needle, coaxing these figures out of the blank surface. There’s a tactile quality to the image, right? The etching feels almost tentative in places, as if Valadon is feeling her way through the composition, letting it emerge gradually. I love that. The etching marks, they are delicate but confident. She’s thinking about the way the body occupies space, how light plays across the skin, and the quiet drama of everyday life. The naked figure stretching and the other attending with a towel... the intimacy between these women and the familiarity of this scene. It reminds me of other artists like Degas or Cassatt, but Valadon brings her own distinctive touch, a kind of unflinching directness. Painters, we’re all in conversation, riffing off each other, building on what’s come before, and adding our own unique voice to the mix. That’s what makes art so alive, this ongoing dialogue across time.