Midsummer Shade 1953

Curator: Ah, look, we're in front of Stow Wengenroth's "Midsummer Shade," created in 1953. It’s an etching, a landscape of a tree-lined road leading toward houses, almost hidden by the generous foliage. Editor: Wow, it has an intense stillness to it, like time holding its breath. I'm struck by how incredibly detailed it is for a print, all those subtle shifts in tone giving a real weight and presence to the leaves and the buildings. I would even dare say there's a certain heaviness of spirit captured here. Curator: Wengenroth had such a mastery over the etching process, really pushing the boundaries of the medium. I can see it! It looks almost photorealistic but with this extra touch of dreaminess. I am fascinated with all this incredible time, labor and physical process: the biting of the plate, the pressure of the press, the layers and the skill… Each print feels like such a unique, manual event. It’s fascinating. Editor: Right, there's an artistry to the craft itself, all those precise lines built up to create texture and depth. Looking closer, it seems the technique accentuates the contrast between the bright highlights and the deeper shadows that convey an almost ominous feeling. Curator: His work often captures that feeling. I suspect this scene, rendered in monochromatic tones, hints at a deeper feeling of introspection or reflection. The overhanging branches seem like embracing arms. Editor: I agree; and because the site is a road this seems to give the place a functional human scale that somehow balances the sublimity of those big old shade trees. I think in the right spot shade trees can offer a respite to our worn selves that can border on the spiritual. It’s an odd juxtaposition in an art that otherwise emphasizes labor and making. Curator: Very true! Maybe his focus on a familiar rural environment and quiet, serene atmosphere reflects something deeper within himself—the artist finding peace, or even refuge, in such simple scenes. Editor: So much from something drawn with only pencils and labor. It does feel deeply personal. I would enjoy returning here during a long Summer day. Curator: Yes, it’s a truly special artwork with this incredible atmosphere and mastery.