On Telegraph Hill c. 1943

Robert Cranston Lee's "On Telegraph Hill" seems to have been made through a process of careful carving and printing, a dance between control and the unpredictable nature of ink. Look at how Lee has handled the sky. He has translated it into parallel lines, which seem to almost vibrate. I imagine the artist, hand-steady, pressing into the block, guided by a vision of San Francisco's landscape. What would it have been like to look out on that view, and then go inside to create this print? There’s a conversation happening here with other artists too. Think about the woodcuts of the German Expressionists. The contrast between light and dark is so striking. The image takes on a raw, emotional quality. Each mark feels deliberate. We get a sense of Lee's touch, his careful orchestration of form and texture. It’s a testament to how art can be a space for dialogue, both within oneself and with others.