Souvenir of Summer 1931

Curator: Today, we’re looking at Fiske Boyd’s “Souvenir of Summer,” a woodcut print dating from 1931. It depicts a domestic scene, an interior with multiple figures. Editor: It's strikingly contrastive, almost harsh. The limited tonal range certainly intensifies the scene's starkness, but there's a beauty in how those cuts describe everything from clothing to furniture to familial connections. What was the motivation behind it, would you say? Curator: Well, woodcut as a medium experienced a significant revival in the early 20th century, offering artists like Boyd a way to engage with both the aesthetic values and the social realities of their time. It's quite an accessible, affordable medium allowing for wider dissemination. One could argue that it aligns with a certain democratization of art, shifting focus from elite art circles. Editor: Interesting point. The scene itself… I’m struck by the figures frozen in almost tableau-like poses. What stories were exchanged during such scenes. There is a deep seated drama even within this single frame. Curator: Indeed, the composition and subject matter align it with genre painting traditions, focusing on everyday life. One is keen to note here how the labour for men versus women during such summers is on stark display in this picture. How do you interpret this use of realism within such a deliberately stark presentation of figures and scenes? Editor: It’s less about a mirror reflecting reality, more like a spotlight on a particular experience. This specific combination invites reflection – like peering into a memory where the details become distilled, sharpened into something elemental. The dark lines give an otherwise relaxed scene quite a dark after-taste. Curator: Considering the economic anxieties and social shifts happening around the time, perhaps "Souvenir of Summer" acts as a contemplative study on modern American life in 1931, made ever potent through its striking artistic methods and execution in print making. Editor: Precisely. This conversation, brought forth because of a visual is a souvenir in itself isn't it? One created from summer but preserved and felt in winter. Curator: Quite true. It demonstrates how a deliberate study in technique and media combined with relatable thematics might communicate deeply human moments long into the future.