Cows 1936

Mikuláš Galanda made this print called 'Cows', and the way he's scratched into the surface makes you think about how an image comes together, bit by bit. The whole thing is basically two colors: a warm reddish brown and a creamy white. But it's how he's used line that grabs me. Look at the way the bodies of the cows are defined. It's all done with these strong, confident strokes, like he’s carving them out of the background. There's this real sense of touch, of the artist's hand at work. Notice the soft shading on the back of the lying cow. Galanda creates depth and volume with such a simple means. It feels connected to a lineage of artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker. Both artists share a similar interest in simplifying forms and drawing inspiration from rural life. What’s cool is how Galanda makes something so simple, like cows in a field, feel monumental. It's a reminder that you can find beauty and depth in the everyday.