A deformed couple facing each other
Original title: A deformed couple facing each other
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike related prints of its time, this etching thrives on the immediate confrontation of two distorted figures. Wenceslaus Hollar made it in 1645, in the second state of two, on a small scale of 7.5 × 10.3 cm. The modest format belies the printmaking virtuosity visible in every line.
Description
Two figures stand face to face, almost touching. Their faces are exaggerated into the grotesque, features warped. The one on the left wears a head covering that recalls a shawl or headscarf; the one on the right has curly hair. The layout feels mirror-like, the rendering monochrome, built from thin strokes and graded shading.
Context
Made in 1645 during Hollar's time in England, the motif of distorted figures draws on the grotesque and caricature common at the time. Such images served entertainment or moral instruction; no specific trigger is recorded.
Impact
The distortions unsettle and amuse at once, drawing the viewer's eye closer involuntarily. The contrast between the precision of the etching and the grotesqueness of the subject gives the sheet its peculiar tension.
Technique
Hollar worked here as an etcher; the sheet is in the second state of two. In the smallest space, his sure handling of etching and drypoint yields the finest lines and nuanced shading.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)