Xochimilco—Cinco de Mayo 1942

Prentiss Taylor made this lithograph, titled "Xochimilco—Cinco de Mayo", sometime around 1932. The entire composition comes together like a vivid dream, a scene from daily life on water rendered in soft greyscale. You can sense Taylor taking in the details, observing the world around them, as they create marks that define the edges of the boats, the water, and the people. I imagine Taylor at the scene sketching, squinting at the light as the sun glints off the water. The artist seems to be really thinking about how to create a sense of depth with the tonal range. This print reminds me of the work of other artists interested in portraying everyday scenes such as Jacob Lawrence or Honoré Daumier. Taylor leaves us with an impression of a festive occasion in Xochimilco, a place where humans live in harmony with the water. I love this sense of exchange between artists across time, all riffing off each other, each contributing their own unique perspective to the conversation.