Murder, plate two from Death and Resurrection

Created when Otto Mäkilä was just eighteen years old, this haunting drypoint is the second plate from his series 'Death and Resurrection,' a powerful early work that reveals the young Finnish artist's preoccupation with violence and mortality. The technical mastery displayed here is remarkable for such a young printmaker—drypoint, which involves scratching directly into a metal plate, requires confidence and precision, as every mark is permanent. The velvety black lines characteristic of this medium create an atmosphere of darkness and drama that perfectly suits the subject matter.

Mäkilä's work from this period shows his engagement with German Expressionism, particularly evident in his 1915 'Portrait of Otto Mueller' and later works like 'Barricade Fighters' and 'Dead Soldier,' which complete the same 'Death and Resurrection' series. These prints from the early 1920s reflect the profound impact of World War I on European consciousness, even for artists like Mäkilä who were just coming of age during the conflict. The series captures themes of violent death and human suffering that would recur throughout his career, as seen in later works like 'Evening on the Wijtschaete Plain' from 1924, which directly depicted the devastation of the Western Front. This print demonstrates how Mäkilä used printmaking not merely as a reproductive medium but as a direct, visceral means of expression.