Bad Housing 1938

John August Groth’s print, Bad Housing, presents a dense and gritty reality through etching. The image pulses with the energy of a packed building, each window framing a vignette of life. The dark, almost gothic lines give the piece a raw, immediate feel, like a charcoal sketch found in an old sketchbook. Look closely at how Groth uses the etching needle to create depth. See the mass of bodies spilling onto the streets, rendered with frenetic lines and blotches of ink? It’s a fantastic example of how texture alone can tell a story. The grimy surface of the print itself mirrors the harsh conditions it depicts. The composition is jam-packed, mirroring the cramped conditions and overwhelming senses of city life. The way Groth handles the smoke billowing in the background, those wispy, delicate lines against the heavy crosshatching of the building, reminds me of some of the surreal landscapes of Max Ernst, both artists capturing the feeling of a world that's both real and nightmarish. Art is a conversation, constantly echoing and transforming the world around us.