The Library, Vassar College c. 1910s - 1920s

Helen B. Stevens made this etching of the Vassar College Library; it’s all about line, isn’t it? I can almost feel the scratching, that focused energy of the artist, pulling these structures out of the plate. And look how she varies the pressure and speed of the line! Some areas are dark and dense, suggesting the weight of the building, while others are light and airy, capturing the fleeting clouds or the texture of the stone. It makes me think about how the simplest mark can carry so much feeling. Think of Cy Twombly, with his scribbles, or Agnes Martin, with her delicate grids. Stevens is part of that lineage, using the basic elements of art to create something both solid and ephemeral. This is not just a building; it's a feeling, a memory, a moment captured in ink.