Untitled (Female Nude) c. 1935

Pauline White Peavy made this woodcut print, the 'Untitled (Female Nude),' using stark black and white to capture the human form. The act of carving itself feels present here. I imagine Peavy digging into the wood, each deliberate gouge shaping the figure from the dark ground. The contrast is so bold. It flattens the space, and the figure emerges, solid and monumental. The simple lines, especially around her face, are so affecting. The slight curve of the neck suggests introspection or weariness, the way she delicately holds her own body. It feels both vulnerable and strong. It reminds me of other artists who explored the figure, like Kathe Kollwitz, with that similar blend of tenderness and starkness. It’s like Peavy is saying something essential about being in a body, about the quiet moments of being. Artists are always talking to each other, you know, across time and space.