Intermission c. 1940

Cleve Bissell made this lithograph, Intermission, and what strikes me most is its haunting quality. Look at those faces; they’re so sad, so knowing. I wonder what was going through Bissell’s head when he made it. Did he want to capture a moment of quiet contemplation, or was he trying to say something about society, about the classes? The figures are set against a dark background, their faces highlighted as if caught in the spotlight of a theater. Is he trying to create a portrait of different characters you'd find at the theatre during the pause? The textures are incredible, achieved with what looks like delicate hatching. It's almost like he’s feeling his way through the darkness. You know, in a way, we're all intermissions in this great big play of life, aren't we? Bissell’s piece reminds me that art is about more than just what you see; it’s about what you feel. It’s about the conversations we have with ourselves and with each other, across time and space.