The Lobsterman 1919

Philip Little’s small print, The Lobsterman, shows a lone figure silhouetted against a watery sky, probably made with etching or drypoint. I imagine Little working the plate, scratching into it, biting it with acid, then printing and reprinting—a repetitive, meditative process of trial and error. I feel for Little making this work. There’s something really special about etching—the way the lines are so delicate, yet they build up to create such a strong image. The figure, the boat, and the light all seem to emerge from the darkness. What was he thinking when he made this? I imagine him out on the water himself, feeling the boat rock, seeing the sun through the mist, his movements translated into these dark, deliberate lines. The work is modest, but it has something to say. And in this way it joins a chorus of other artists speaking across time, each with their own vision, adding to the conversation of art.