Gandy Dancer Shack c. 1935 - 1943

Stanislaus Arturo Osweiczyski made this print, Gandy Dancer Shack, with what looks like lithographic crayon, or maybe charcoal, but definitely something with a dry, crumbly texture. The image is built up out of these powdery marks, layer upon layer. Look how he uses it to suggest the rough texture of the shack, the hill, and especially the strange staircase, like something from an M.C. Escher drawing. The whole scene has a ghostly quality, not just because it's black and white, but because of this buildup of marks, like the memory of a place slowly materializing. I love the way Osweiczyski contrasts these more defined, almost geometric forms with the looser, more organic shapes of the foliage, all rendered with the same material. It reminds me of Piranesi's etchings of imaginary prisons, or maybe some of the urban landscapes of the Ashcan School. There's a real sense of atmosphere and mood. It’s a beautiful example of how limitations in materials can unlock real creativity.