Make Fast 1929

Curator: Arthur Briscoe’s 1929 etching, “Make Fast,” masterfully captures a moment of intense maritime action. Editor: The chaotic energy of this piece is really magnetic, like stumbling onto the deck of a ship during a storm! The composition and restricted palette amplifies this, it feels like a fleeting moment captured just as the waves threaten to swallow us whole. Curator: Indeed, Briscoe's exceptional use of line conveys remarkable dynamism and textural complexity. The composition is predominantly structured around a network of linear forms created by the rigging and the surging water, which lead the eye, framing the central figures on board. Note how he employs a rigorous economy of marks and how they accumulate to build up tone and volume in this print. Editor: Absolutely, the network of lines do feel rather vital. All these intertwined ropes are brought into being via line alone! Also, consider the visual weight distribution; we've got thick clusters of rope dominating one corner and the other areas remain considerably sparse, highlighting the dramatic imbalance on deck in that critical instant! It speaks volumes about how every little action is essential in keeping that vessel above water! Curator: That's a valuable observation. Also key is Briscoe's formal strategy, to effectively position the viewer within the storm’s heart. The perspective he chooses adds to the immediacy of the depicted activity; it emphasizes the precariousness that the crew experienced regularly during these taxing maneuvers. Editor: And the lack of clarity! The artist leaves certain elements obscured allowing us to only imagine what exactly these men are fighting against. That obscurity speaks to the awesome power and scale these seamen must combat when simply trying to, I don't know, survive another watch! It has this timeless, poetic feeling about it as well. Curator: I appreciate your insightful remarks; Briscoe captures much more than a maritime scene, with "Make Fast", he explores how men confront raw power and precarious instability via dynamic use of form. Editor: So in effect he delivers, to any age, how courage feels? Powerful indeed.