Portrat of Joseph Boston, Laborer 1932

Samuel Pullman captured Joseph Boston, a laborer, in a print of careful lines and considered shadow. I can imagine Pullman bent over his plate, pulling the needle through the ground, and I wonder about his process. Did he work from a photograph, or did Boston sit for him? I picture him thinking, how do I get this man’s essence? His humanity? The criss-cross hatching that defines the figure is so delicate. It almost feels like a drawing, yet the shadows suggest a weight and presence, anchoring Boston to his seat. There’s a raw quality here, an authenticity that speaks to Pullman’s empathy for his subject. This piece feels related to other portrait prints of the time. It shows the common man with respect, and it reminds us of art's capacity to find beauty and meaning in everyday lives. I love how artists can speak to each other across time, and Samuel Pullman is here to join the conversation.