Seated Figure 1919 - 1920

Max Weber made this print, Seated Figure, with ink on paper. What strikes me about this print is the way it uses a limited range of colors – blues, greens, pinks, and browns – to create such a vibrant image. It's like he's letting the process of layering and printing guide the form. Looking closely, you can see how the texture of the printmaking gives the image a tactile quality. The pinks of the lower figure, in contrast with the blues on the border, really sing. There’s a sense of the figure emerging, or maybe dissolving, into the ground. Weber's work, especially his interest in cubism and abstraction, reminds me a little of Picasso. Both artists were constantly exploring and pushing the boundaries, and embracing ambiguity in their work. It makes you think about how art is this ongoing conversation across time, each artist building on what came before, and adding their own unique voice.