Better Mousetraps 1937

John Sloan’s print, “Better Mousetraps”, is all about how small marks can conjure big spaces. I wonder what Sloan was thinking as he worked on this plate, scratching away at the metal, the image slowly emerging from a haze of lines. This is a kind of drawing with a needle, isn’t it? See how he suggests light and shadow, depth and distance? The marks describe the figure of a person sitting under a makeshift shelter, maybe selling some pots and wares. The etching emphasizes the textures of the landscape, from the distant mountains to the scrubby plants in the foreground. It reminds me of other artists like Whistler, who were also fascinated by the possibilities of the etched line. The criss-crossing of the lines creates tone and form. It's like he’s saying, hey, look at this world I’ve created with just a few tiny marks! Artists are always having a conversation with each other, aren't they?