Katakombe (Catacomb) 1960

Anton Lehmden made this intaglio print titled "Katakombe" sometime in the last century. I can imagine Lehmden hunched over a metal plate, using acid to etch away at the surface, line by painstaking line. There’s something claustrophobic, almost primal, about the scene he’s created. Look at how the lines converge and diverge, creating a sense of depth, of a hidden world. The almost ghostly cube in the center reminds me of the work of Piranesi, who was also obsessed with creating imaginary spaces that feel both real and impossible. What was Lehmden thinking as he worked? Was he exploring his own subconscious, or commenting on the state of society? Maybe it’s a bit of both. It’s like he’s inviting us to enter into a dialogue, and reminding us that art is ultimately a conversation.