Cockfight 1955

Frederic Marvin's woodcut print, "Cockfight," really gets at the heart of energy and conflict. Just imagine him carving away at that woodblock, each cut a deliberate act of shaping these fierce birds. I can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the surface, defining the sharp angles of their beaks and the dynamic lines of their feathers. I am struck by his palette of ochre, red, and black. It's earthy, but so vibrant. The roosters' combative stance is palpable, like a dance of aggression frozen in time. The whole piece crackles with tension. And what about the brown background? It is alive with small scratches that feel like both a chaotic arena and a quiet space. This print echoes the dynamism you find in German Expressionist woodcuts, but with its own unique, folksy charm. Marvin’s work reminds us that art is always about exchange—artists speaking to one another across time, each adding their voice to the mix. It is less about finding fixed meanings and more about embracing the conversations.