Rancho de Taos 1954

Harry Hult made this print, Rancho de Taos, in 1954, and it's a beautiful example of how black and white can sing. I’m thinking about Hult at his printing press, carefully applying the ink, wiping the plate, running it through the machine. This isn’t some casual sketch; it’s been labored over. It's got this super graphic feel, doesn't it? Like a woodcut almost. There's a lot of cross-hatching to build up tone and give the image depth. The forms feel simplified. It almost flattens the architecture and landscape into these interlocking shapes. I feel like Hult is playing with light and shadow, seeing how far he can push the contrasts. I love how the whole thing feels simultaneously solid and dreamlike, and I can almost feel the New Mexico sun beating down on those adobe walls. Artists like Hult are constantly teaching us new ways to see and experience our world.