The Treasure of Carcassonne 1928

Dorothy Lathrop made this, what looks like a pen and ink drawing—it's hard to tell exactly what she used—of children at a table. I wonder what she was thinking, drawing children like this? Was she trying to capture a moment of togetherness, or something else? What I see is the back of the children. They are anonymous, or universal... The whole scene feels like it comes from a dream. Lathrop’s decision to work within a mostly black and white palette allows her to play with light and shadow, creating a surreal atmosphere. The darkness looming behind the figures adds to the dream-like quality, making you feel like you're peering into a hidden world of childhood imagination. When an artist puts something down, another artist can pick it up, later in time. Lathrop’s work feels like a conversation with other illustrators and printmakers who capture the ephemeral qualities of life. It reminds us that creativity is a relay race, one artist passing the baton to the next.