Abstract Composition 1920

Arnold Topp created this woodcut print titled Abstract Composition, presenting us with more than simply what is seen. Here we notice the artist's interplay of geometric forms: circles, squares, and triangles. The circle is an emblem of wholeness and continuity. Yet, its fragmentation here mirrors the disquiet of the modern world. The lines cutting through, create diamond shapes. Perhaps a sign of the soul ascending to Heaven and its ability to transcend the world. Consider, though, the staircase depicted on the bottom left. Stairs appear in many epochs of art, from ancient Egyptian funerary art to the Christian Jacob's Ladder, commonly signifying transition, ascent, or descent. The stark contrast of light and dark, and the inclusion of stairs hints at psychological themes of the unconscious, recurring in dreams as a symbol of one's life. The persistence of these shapes speaks to a deep, almost subconscious continuity of human experience.