Tired Soldier I 1919

Walter Gramatté created this etching, Tired Soldier I, using a drypoint technique to dig directly into the metal plate. The lines are wiry, full of hesitant energy. I always feel for the underdog. It's clear he isn't an idealized image of a military hero. Instead, Gramatté presents us with a figure marked by exhaustion, his features drooping, his hands almost skeletal. The lines around the eyes and mouth, etched with a kind of raw vulnerability, suggest a profound weariness. But, there's beauty in it too. I'm struck by how similar his work is to the Austrian Expressionist Oskar Kokoschka, who also had a knack for capturing psychological states through expressive line work. This piece is a reminder that art often thrives in ambiguity, allowing for multiple emotional experiences to coexist.