Barber Shop Chord 1931

Stuart Davis made this print, Barber Shop Chord, in black ink on paper. Davis is an artist who works in layers and stages, simplifying things down to basic geometric forms, then building them back up again to make something new. Take a look at the composition and you’ll see the way that Davis has cut up the space, with marks that create shapes, but also shadows. What I like about this print is how he uses a limited tonal range to create depth and vibrancy. I like how he has created some textures, for instance, by hatching with the pen. Notice the contrast in the top left corner, the cross-hatched sky above the brick building. And consider how the composition is arranged, like a series of planes. Davis was influenced by cubism and geometric abstraction. He admired the work of Picasso and Braque, and you can see echoes of their influence here. But Davis was also his own man. He had a unique vision and a distinctive style. Art is just one big conversation, after all.