Lumberjacks c. 1930

Anton Refregier made this print, *Lumberjacks*, using graphic lines to depict the woodcutters. I imagine Refregier carving into the block, removing wood to define the areas that would remain white. It’s a subtractive process, full of risk, where each cut is a commitment. The brown ink feels earthy. I can almost smell the wood. Look at the faces of the lumberjacks. See the cross-hatching that creates shadows, especially on the figure to the left, leaning on his axe. The way he captured the weight and mass of the figures with such simple means. There's a graphic quality to the composition that reminds me of other social realists, like Rockwell Kent. But there’s also a rawness here, an honesty that feels very personal to Refregier. He's not just documenting a scene, he’s imbuing it with feeling, with his own sense of empathy for these workers. It’s like he’s saying, "I see you, I understand your labor." It's a quiet, powerful statement.