Elevated 1936

This is ‘Elevated’, an etching by Frederick J. Whiteman made in 1956. It’s all about lines, and how a few of them, carefully placed, can suggest a whole world. It feels like looking at a city made of thoughts. The texture is amazing - it’s scratchy and soft at the same time, like the artist was drawing with a feather. You can almost feel the burr of the drypoint. Look at the zig-zag lines filling the arches in the middle, a little area of visual excitement that feels structurally important. It reminds me of Klee, in its delicate touch, and how the simple forms suggest more complex structures. Ultimately the joy is in the process, in seeing how Whiteman built this space with such simple means. It’s a reminder that art isn't about perfection, but about exploration and the joy of making marks.