On the river 1924

Mikuláš Galanda made this print, called 'On the river', using stark black lines and fields of stippled dots on a pale background. I can only imagine the artist at work, carefully layering each mark on the printing plate, letting the image emerge slowly through trial and error. I wonder what Galanda was thinking when he made this. Maybe he was inspired by a real-life scene or perhaps it was something from his imagination? I love the way the image is distilled, how the stippling adds depth and texture, like a whisper of atmosphere on the water's surface. The dark, bold shapes create a sense of drama, like the beginning of an Expressionist woodcut. It makes me think about the avant-garde movements that were happening across Europe at the time. The image feels both personal and universal. It speaks to the shared human experience of love, nature, and connection. It's a reminder that artists are constantly building on each other's ideas. They are in a never ending conversation across time and space. Each contributing their unique voice to the ongoing story of art.