Boats 1918

Cesar Klein made this print, Boats, in 1918, carving into a block to create these bold black marks on a light background. I can see the artist hacking away at the wood, deciding what to leave, what to take away. It’s funny how the simplest gestures can suggest the most complex feelings. Look at how the rainbow in the sky is reduced to a few strokes, like a child’s drawing. The sky and the sea are barely there. I imagine Klein standing in his studio, thinking about other artists. He was part of a larger conversation about how to depict our world in new and exciting ways. We all are! Artists are always picking up on each other's cues, riffing on ideas like jazz musicians. It’s like we are all in one big band. Klein’s expressionist vision helps us to see the world in new ways.