Madonna and Child 1904

Timothy Cole made this image, Madonna and Child, as an engraving—imagine the focus and pressure required to incise lines into a metal plate! It’s a tightly composed image, built up with subtle variations of light and dark. I wonder what was going through Cole’s mind as he worked on this piece. Did he feel the weight of art history? He probably knew countless depictions of this subject! I can imagine him looking closely at the original painting, trying to capture its essence while also bringing his own sensibility to the act of translation. The hatching marks create texture and volume, and the overall effect is one of tenderness and reverence. Notice how the lines flow and curve around the figures, gently defining their forms. Engravers are in constant conversation with painters—and we, as viewers, are invited to join in too. Each artwork is a chance to see the world in a new way.