Black Pony 1955

Michael Rothenstein created this print, Black Pony, using colour linocut. At first glance, the composition is divided into distinct blocks of colour, with the lower register in red, the middle in an intense pink, and the upper in somber greys and blacks. These bands of colour create a landscape, but one destabilized by abstraction. Rothenstein’s mark-making is crucial here. Note the scratched lines and textures achieved through the linocut technique. These aren't mere representational details. Instead, they function as signs within a semiotic structure. The black pony of the title is present, yet almost dissolves into the broader pattern. The artist challenges our perception, blurring the lines between object and background. The disruption of conventional perspective and the flattening of space can be interpreted as a reflection of broader modernist concerns. Here, Rothenstein invites us to reconsider how we perceive and categorize the world around us.