Study of a Woman 1976

Jay Moon made this intaglio print, Study of a Woman, sometime before he died in 1990, and the marks and lines in it feel so deliberate. It makes me think about the labor and the process of creating art. The print itself is mainly monochrome, but there are a few lighter areas to offset the dark. The background of the study is very dark and brooding, but the woman herself has many lighter marks. Her hair and hand stand out from the rest. It’s as though Moon wants us to feel how the weight of time sits on her. The tiny pearl necklace around her neck reminds me a little of the work of Paula Rego, who also knew how to paint the burden of the passing years. Prints like these show us that art isn’t just about the final image; it’s about the conversation between the artist, the subject, and the materials.