Pa. German Butter Stamp c. 1937

Frances Lichten made this Pennsylvania German Butter Stamp using ink on paper. Lichten’s mark-making here is methodical and precise, almost like she’s reverse-engineering a three-dimensional object. The stark black ink really brings out the texture and detail of the butter stamp. You can almost feel the ridges and curves of the design. Look at the hatching, those closely-spaced parallel lines she uses to create shading. It gives the whole piece a tactile, almost sculptural quality. It’s incredible how she manages to convey so much depth and form with just simple lines. Notice that each little hatching mark is made of a series of dots! This work reminds me a little of Josef Albers’s meticulous studies of form and color, but Lichten brings a folksy, craft-oriented sensibility to the table. Art is such an ongoing conversation, isn't it?