Two Deformed Heads Facing Inwards (ca. 1645, Met-Objekt 5585)
Original title: Two Deformed Heads Facing Inwards
kurzbeschreibung
Wenceslaus Hollar's etching Zwei deformierte Köpfe, einander zugewandt dates from around 1645. It presents two severely misshapen heads in frontal view, both meeting the viewer's gaze.
Description
Two stylized heads confront each other on the sheet. The left one wears a cloth headdress tied in a loose knot at the back; the right one is bare, its shape strikingly deformed, with a large, drooping earlobe and an unusual forehead formation. Shading emphasizes the contours and wrinkles of the faces, while the background stays subdued, making the figures stand out all the more. At the top of the image, a handwritten inscription refers to Leonardo da Vinci and names W. Hollar as the artist.
Context
The etching was made around 1645, when Hollar was in Antwerp or London. By reproducing deformed heads, the print continues a tradition of physiognomic studies that goes back to Leonardo da Vinci, whose sketches served Hollar as models. Such works testify to the artistic interest in the diversity of human facial features that was widespread in the early modern period.
Impact
The strongly distorted features and the heads' direct gaze give the sheet something unsettling. Thanks to the precise shading, the heads appear almost three-dimensional, which heightens the intensity of the view.
Technique
Hollar used etching for this work: the lines were bitten into a copper plate. Fine hatching models shadows and volume—an approach characteristic of his prints.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)