Cruising Sailing Ships, 2 (Kreuzende Segelschiffe, 2) 1919

This is "Cruising Sailing Ships, 2" by Lyonel Feininger; a print made with strong black lines on a pale ground. I can imagine him carving away at the block to make this image, steadily and surely. It’s like the boats are emerging from a crystalline structure, or maybe they’re being swallowed up by one. It’s hard to tell! Everything is broken down into sharp angles and facets, like a Cubist painting. I love how the dynamism is achieved with simple lines – each one a small decision, a small act of will. It makes you wonder, what was Feininger thinking? Was he trying to capture the feeling of being at sea, or maybe something more abstract, like the way we navigate through life? Prints like this are part of a long conversation between artists. You can see how Feininger was influenced by Cubism and Expressionism, but he also brought his own unique vision to the table. It's like he's saying, "I see what you're doing, but I'm going to do it my way." And that's what art is all about.