Gothic Virgin 1912

Walter Pach made this etching of a Gothic Virgin in 1912. Look at how Pach builds tone with these tiny hatched marks! It’s a slow, meditative process, almost like building with tiny blocks. The dense crosshatching creates a sense of depth and volume. I notice especially the way he renders the folds of her robe. You can almost feel the weight of the fabric, how it drapes and gathers. Then there's the background, a field of marks that suggests a hazy, undefined space. It’s like the figure is emerging from the shadows, or maybe sinking back into them. I think of Käthe Kollwitz, another printmaker who used line to convey emotion and social commentary. Both artists share this sense of art as an ongoing conversation, each adding their voice to the chorus. In the end, art is about opening up possibilities.