Old John Brown of Kansas 1800-1859 1936

Reuben Kadish made this drawing of Old John Brown sometime in the 20th century. It's a tightly rendered work, built from what looks like graphite. The lines are so controlled, almost like strands of hair weaving together to create form. Look closely at the texture of the beard, how each stroke defines another, building depth. Then there's the rope, also made up of individual lines, yet somehow heavy and real. Kadish traps Brown in this brick box, with a macabre sense of portraiture. The severed hand at the bottom, clasping a pipe, is such a strange detail, unsettling the whole image. You might see echoes of Käthe Kollwitz here, or maybe the graphic power of early German Expressionists. It’s like Kadish is asking us to really *see* history, not just read about it. Art’s always in conversation, right?