Mountain Monster 1945

Editor: Bernard Joseph Steffen's "Mountain Monster," a print from 1945, gives me this immediate sense of unease. The stark lines of the train are in such contrast to the more flowing, almost dreamlike rendering of the smoke and the landscape. What do you make of this interesting composition? Curator: The interest, as you keenly observe, lies in Steffen's approach to contrasting forms. Note how the massive, horizontal thrust of the train car dominates the middle ground. The sharp delineation creates a sense of weight, amplified by the darker tones. The artist creates tension through these juxtapositions with lighter elements: figures of the people and of the smoke in particular, yet even the smoke contains interior striations. Do these shapes suggest any familiar forms? Editor: Now that you mention it, I see cloud shapes within the smoke and perhaps something similar to the electric blue tree. Those organic forms push back against the overwhelming, geometric bulk of the train. Curator: Precisely. The interplay suggests a dialogue between nature and industry, between the organic and geometric forms, between movement and stasis. Observe, too, how color supports this dynamic. The red, or rather red-brown, hues of the steam, and the electric blue of the curious tree serve as the visual counterpoints, placed near the smaller human figures at the fore and far edges of the landscape. Does the print's title add to our appreciation? Editor: Absolutely. I see the smoke as monstrous, looming above the smaller figures, hinting at potential danger or, at least, some disquieting industrial advance into the natural world. Thinking about the monster element of the composition invites us to read the landscape anew and look out for unnatural elements and unusual renderings of form and line. Curator: A perceptive and visually informed reading, indeed.