Untitled 1916

Morton Schamberg made this small, untitled charcoal drawing on paper. I can almost feel the powdery charcoal under my fingers. It's a simple medium, but look at the range Schamberg gets! The composition is like an architectural fantasy, a stage set, perhaps, with stairs leading nowhere and arches that might collapse at any moment. I imagine Schamberg working quickly, building the image out of short, energetic strokes. The dramatic use of light and shadow reminds me of Piranesi's etchings of imaginary prisons; and yet, there's also a playful quality here, like a Cubist collage in charcoal. It's as if Schamberg is saying, 'Let's build a world, but let's not take it too seriously.' We see Schamberg in conversation with the Old Masters, and anticipating modernism, all in one small drawing. I love how artists are constantly in dialogue with each other, across time and space.