Das Paar 1941

Imre Reiner made this print, "Das Paar", with ink on paper, and it looks like he was really feeling the push and pull of lines. I love how the composition creates a sense of intimacy, as the two figures are close together but also turned away from each other, each existing in their own world. The figure on the left has this incredibly elaborate hairstyle, rendered with such delicate, swirling lines that it almost becomes an abstract form. The lines are confident, scratchy, and varied, and the hatching gives the figures volume and depth. Look at the way Reiner varies the pressure on his pen or brush to create different line weights, and how he uses cross-hatching to build up areas of shadow. It reminds me a little of the graphic work of Kathe Kollwitz, but with a lighter, more whimsical touch. Both artists had an interest in the human condition, and a willingness to embrace ambiguity and multiple interpretations, rather than fixed meanings.