The Return 1907

Helen Hyde made this print, 'The Return', using color woodcut, and it's like she's inviting us into a quiet, moonlit scene. You can see the layers of color, how they build up to create this mood, this feeling of a cool evening. The texture is amazing, like you can almost feel the weight of those bundles of wheat or hay the figures are carrying. And it's all done with these simple shapes, these flat planes of color that fit together like a puzzle. I love the way the moon glows, it’s just this simple, round shape but it’s so evocative. There’s something so honest and direct about the way Hyde approached her work, similar to someone like Edvard Munch, who was so good at capturing a feeling with just a few lines and colors. Ultimately, art is about opening up a space for interpretation, for conversation, not about pinning things down.