In the Park c. 1939

Joseph Rollo made this lithograph called 'In the Park', and I imagine him making marks, gently but firmly pressing the crayon to the stone, building up the image bit by bit, line by line, to evoke the feeling of a warm day in the park. I love the contrast between the stillness of the woman reading and the movement of the rowboats on the water. I wonder if Rollo was thinking about the different ways we experience time, how it can feel slow and expansive when we're lost in a good book, or how it can speed up when we're actively engaged in doing. He repeats marks to create tone, texture, and shading. The marks describe the city in the distance, the tree trunks, the water, and the dress of the lady sitting reading her book. This creates a sense of rhythm across the whole image. It reminds me of other artists, like Edward Hopper, who were also interested in capturing moments of quiet contemplation in the midst of urban life. It is so wonderful how artists speak to one another through their work.