Shark and Sonar 1952

Benton Spruance made this print, called Shark and Sonar, with lithographic ink on paper. The shark here is kind of geometric and streamlined; it's like Spruance took the idea of a shark and filtered it through his imagination, giving it these angular, almost architectural qualities. I wonder if he was trying to capture the shark's speed and movement, or maybe even its predatory nature, in these sharp lines. And the color scheme adds to the mood. The browns and grays create this murky underwater atmosphere. It makes you think about what it might have been like for him to make this piece. Did he have a fascination with marine life, or was he maybe using the shark as a symbol for something else entirely? I think artists are always in conversation with each other, building on what came before, experimenting, and pushing the boundaries of their medium, and Spruance is no different.