Fontamara XIII 1947

Fayga Ostrower made this black and white print, Fontamara XIII. Look at the way she’s handled the contrast. The dark ink feels thick and almost sticky, like tar, clinging to the figures huddled together. The whole image is constructed from these dense, pooling blacks. I notice the way she’s carved out light to define the faces, especially the child’s, with this incredible sense of volume. The negative space isn't just 'empty'; it's charged, like a spotlight on their expressions. It reminds me a little of Käthe Kollwitz, who knew how to wrestle with darkness on the page, using shadow to convey emotion and the weight of social reality. These artists aren’t just depicting a scene. They’re inviting us to feel the air, the mood, the very pulse of this intimate setting. It’s a conversation between the artist, the medium, and us, the viewers, across time.