The Pillars 1939

Abe Blashko made this lithograph called "The Pillars" on paper sometime in the mid-20th century, and the way he works those shades of grey is mesmerizing. Look how the cross-hatching gives weight to the figures, almost like they're carved from stone. It's like a dance between light and shadow, where each line counts. I’m drawn to the way the texture is built up. See how the tiny marks create this whole mood of something both rigid and soft, like a tailored suit of armor. It's especially pronounced on the man's coat – a constellation of tiny lines that somehow convey this sense of depth. You can almost feel the fabric. It's a great example of how the physical act of making something, of putting mark next to mark, can totally shape the emotion you get from a piece. Blashko's lithograph reminds me a bit of George Bellows’ gritty cityscapes, but with an added layer of psychological intensity. Art’s like a big conversation, right? Always echoing and riffing off what came before. It's not about pinning down one truth, but embracing all the possibilities that can arise.