Grant's Tomb 1916

Rachael Robinson Elmer made this print of Grant's Tomb. The colors in this print are like a faded memory, aren’t they? It feels less about showing us a place, and more about catching a mood. The flat planes of color, like jigsaw pieces slotted together, remind me of early 20th century printmaking. Look at the way the trees in the foreground are just blocks of dark green and black, but still give a sense of depth, and how the artist has captured the feeling of sunlight and shadow. I particularly love the little figures playing in the foreground. They’re so simple, almost cartoonish, but they bring the whole scene to life. Elmer’s work shares a certain naive charm with that of Henri Rousseau. Both artists embrace a sense of simplicity, focusing on capturing the essence of a scene rather than getting bogged down in detail. It’s like they’re reminding us that art doesn’t always have to be serious or complicated to be meaningful.