Männer im Boot I (Men in a Boat I) 1918

Edwin Scharff made this print, Men in a Boat I, with etching on paper. Look how the bold strokes define the figures, like they're bursting out of the frame. It's all about the push and pull, the give and take of the process, isn’t it? The texture in this print is fantastic. Scharff uses a lot of contrast, but it's never too heavy. Notice how he doesn’t outline everything. It’s more about suggestion, like he wants you to complete the picture. Take that figure on the left – it’s almost falling out of the boat. It’s just a few lines, but it says so much. Scharff's work reminds me a bit of Kirchner, but with a softer edge. Both were exploring the human form in a time of great change. But where Kirchner is all jagged nerves, Scharff is more…hopeful? It’s a conversation, this art thing. A back and forth across time. And isn't it great that it doesn't have to make perfect sense? It just has to make you feel.