Governor's Palace 1926

Howard Cook made this print of the Governor's Palace with, I'm guessing, some kind of etching tool. It's all about the lines here; how they come together to describe the textures and forms. What strikes me most is the interplay between the architectural structure and the more organic shapes of the horse, the men, and the tree. It’s this balance that gives the print its energy. See how the parallel lines of the building contrast with the free, almost scribbled marks of the tree above. It reminds me of the prints of someone like Emil Nolde, in the way it creates an image full of mood. Each of the dark lines is a decision, and together they build up a world on the page.