Merry-Go-Round 1923

Thomas Handforth made this print, titled "Merry-Go-Round," by incising lines into a metal plate to create this bustling scene. You can almost hear the calliope playing! I’m imagining him bent over the plate, squinting, pushing the burin with all his might to create these tiny, scratchy marks. Do you think he was smiling as he made it? Maybe remembering being a child, giddy with anticipation as he waited for his turn to ride the spotted ponies? I can feel the excitement he is trying to express. Look at how he varies the marks to create different tones, almost like shading with a pencil. See the dense cluster of lines that define the shadows under the platform's edge? And the very fine, sparse lines that create the illusion of light bouncing off the horses? It's like a form of visual poetry to me. It reminds me of Piranesi and Daumier, all those printmakers who were also amazing draftsmen. I bet they were all in cahoots, looking at each other's work, whispering ideas across time. For me, Handforth’s print captures the essence of childhood joy. It invites us to embrace the beauty and chaos of life, even in its most fleeting moments.