Family 1908

Abraham Walkowitz made this print of a family, we're not sure when, using a simple palette of brown ink against a dark blue background. Look at the way the figures emerge from the paper, like half-formed thoughts or memories. I love the way Walkowitz uses the ink, scratching and feathering it, to give the figures a sense of weight and volume. There's a raw, almost primal quality to the marks, like he's trying to capture something essential about the human form without getting bogged down in details. Notice the arm draped across the mother's shoulders, a gesture of connection and care. The scratchy lines make it feel tender, but also fragile. It reminds me a bit of Picasso's blue period work, where he was exploring themes of poverty and loss. Like Picasso, Walkowitz invites us to consider the human condition, but does so with a kind of directness that feels totally unique.