Black Range Waltz c. 1939 - 1940

Harold Edward West made this print called Black Range Waltz, and it looks like he made it with a woodblock, carving into the surface to make the image. What I notice first is how the whole scene is vibrating with energy. Look at the way he’s carved these long, almost frantic lines into the floorboards, and then the ceiling. It's like the whole room is moving in time with the music, a real frenzy. I love the way that the figures are caught in the moment, they almost look like they’re going to burst out of the frame. See how the black ink almost bleeds into the white, and the way the figures are arranged, tumbling over each other? It reminds me a little of some of those German Expressionist woodcuts, like Kirchner. But West brings something of his own to it. There’s a real American energy. A sense of freedom, excitement, and a little bit of wildness. What do you think?