Untitled (from Dialogues) 

Henri Laurens made this print, "Untitled (from Dialogues)," using color woodcut, and we see this artwork as part of the broader cultural context of post-war reflection. Here, the fragmented forms and flattened perspective are visual echoes of Cubism, a movement that had taken hold in Paris decades prior. But Laurens brings a softer touch, less interested in dissecting the world than in suggesting a sense of human presence through abstract shapes. The simplified forms could be seen as a reflection of the austere artistic climate following the war. Laurens was working in a time of huge institutional and political change. Studying the correspondence between Laurens and his contemporaries might reveal whether this work was designed as a conversation piece in turbulent times. Doing so can help us understand how artists saw their role in shaping the new world.