Oxen Returning 1929

Grace Albee made this black and white wood engraving, Oxen Returning, in 1929, and look at how she carves! The starkness of the black ink against the white paper creates a scene of real weight. Notice the incredibly fine, detailed marks, all those tiny grooves and lines that define the forms of the oxen and the farmer. Albee coaxes so much texture from a single block of wood, you can almost feel the rough hides of the animals. What I love about printmaking is that it leaves little room for error. Each mark is a deliberate decision, which is so true to the nature of the scene portrayed. Look at the way the lines converge and diverge, how the light is captured in these precise cuts. The ox’s eyes, for instance, reflect the light, giving these beasts such depth. In this context, art becomes a conversation between intention and material, a dance between control and chance. I always find myself thinking about Paula Modersohn-Becker when I come across prints like this, something about the bluntness and directness of the forms. Ultimately, this print invites us to consider the multiple layers of meaning embedded within the image.