L'inverno: Hommage á Morandi 1966

Moishe Smith made this etching, L'inverno: Hommage á Morandi, in 1986. It’s all in delicate black and white lines that evoke a snow-covered landscape, so you can really feel the stillness and quiet of winter. I imagine Smith, hunched over his plate, scratching away with his tools, slowly building up the image through tiny marks. I feel for him, trying to capture the essence of a scene with such simple means. The bare trees are so carefully rendered, each branch a testament to the artist’s attention. It reminds me of Morandi’s quiet still-lifes, that same sense of contemplation and subtle observation. Smith's wintry scene feels so personal, a quiet moment of reflection amidst the starkness of the season. Artists like Smith and Morandi show us how much can be communicated with a simple, heartfelt gesture.