Printed Textile (Historical) c. 1941

This printed textile was created by Arlene Perkins. I imagine this started out as a drawing. Look closely and you can probably see the evidence of the artist's hand and the drawing tools in the final print. I am immediately drawn to the allegorical figure standing atop the hill with the words ‘Constitution & Laws’ inscribed upon it. It reminds me of something you would see on a coin or an old building. I wonder what Perkins was thinking about when she made this? I am reminded of a drawing by Phillip Guston in its overall composition and how forms are distributed across the picture plane. There is a freedom in the mark-making. All of these artists, from Guston to Perkins, have clearly looked at each other’s work and thought about the same things: freedom and expression. Painting and printing is an ongoing conversation across time.