Shadows c. 1935 - 1943

This etching, called 'Shadows,' was created by Samuel L. Margolies using delicate cross-hatching to render an urban landscape. I can imagine Margolies working on this plate, carefully layering lines to build up the dark shadows and the grimy feel of the industrial scene. The clouds are created from so many tiny marks, and the telephone poles lean precariously, each line pregnant with a kind of visual vibration. I can almost feel the sharp sting of the etching needle as it bites into the metal. There's a kinship between Margolies’ approach here and the precision of someone like Josef Albers, maybe because it's the same kind of attention to detail and careful observation. But what I see is also how that kind of intense focus is actually an expression of feeling, a way of being in the world. It makes me think about how artists are always in conversation, echoing and responding to each other across time and different mediums. Ultimately, it's that sense of connection and shared exploration that keeps the conversation going.