May, woodcut of the Long Man of Wilmington 1925

Eric Ravilious made this woodcut of the Long Man of Wilmington sometime during his short life, using simple tools to cut into a block of wood, embracing the directness of the process. The stark contrast between black and white creates a dramatic scene. Look at the way the white figure of the Long Man stands out against the intricate background of textures, made with so many tiny marks. The texture is amazing. See the bull’s dense fur, created by so many tiny lines? Then there is the background, where the white dots create the impression of a starry night. The eye follows these lines, but it is the shapes between the marks that create the overall image. The textures make the image seem to vibrate, everything alive and buzzing. I’m reminded of the work of another English artist, Edward Bawden, who was a close friend of Ravilious; they both shared an interest in the English countryside and vernacular art traditions. Both Bawden and Ravilious show us that art is about looking closely at the world around us, but also about feeling it.