Caligula 1963

Rudy Pozzatti made this tang etching of Caligula in 1963. It’s all about the push and pull of dark ink on paper. See how Pozzatti’s broken up the image? It's not about a perfect likeness, but about catching a feeling, like a memory that's both there and not there. I get a sense of artmaking as a kind of conversation with materials, like a dance with the ink. The texture is rough, immediate. The ink splatters and bleeds, creating shadows and depth. Look at the way the light catches Caligula’s face amidst the surrounding chaos. Is the artist trying to convey the madness of the infamous Roman emperor? Or is it a comment on the act of making art? This piece is a reminder that art isn’t about answers but about the questions we ask along the way. Think Goya’s etchings, but a bit more… Pozzatti.