Untitled

About this work

This is a black and white etching of a man’s face. He looks straight at you with calm eyes and a slight smile. The artist used two techniques: etching etches lines into metal, while aquatint creates soft gray tones like shading. Koeppen often made portraits like this in the 1950s and 60s. The paper shows a deckled edge, which means it wasn’t cut perfectly square. That little unevenness gives the print a handmade feel. If you like this style, try looking up Ottokar Koeppen.