Untitled (Reclining nude with small dog) c. 1932

Joe Jones made this drawing with graphite on paper, and it is all about tonal range. Looking at it, I'm thinking, okay, Joe, what were you thinking? The artist employs tight, parallel lines to build up the shadows and volume, and the whiteness of the paper is used to create light. The form of the nude almost looks like a soft sculpture. The shadow is so intense it creates these wild abstract shapes around the body. And the little dog, nestled so close to the nude, becomes a focal point. The choice of the subject matter with the graphic style creates a striking contrast. The soft lines of the nude against the hard lines of the background. It's like he is abstracting the figure, making it more about the form and less about the individual. Like many artists before him and since, Joe is speaking through his lines, his tones, and his subjects.