Doorway to Illusion
1919
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1919
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print shows a nude woman standing in a dim room, her back to us. One arm reaches upward, the other rests at her side. The light hits her shoulder, leaving the rest in shadow. Behind her, a faint window or doorway glows with a distant scene—maybe a ship or trees. The artist used a soft, smudgy line to blur edges, making the figure feel half-real. This effect comes from the printing method called *aquatint*. Look up etching to see how artists like Davies created these ghostly textures.
