Adirondacks 1919

James N. Rosenberg made this lithograph, Adirondacks, using black ink to depict a landscape in cool greys. The art-making process here seems open, like a conversation between the artist and the stone. Up close, you can see how the texture of the lithographic stone allows for a range of marks, from soft and smudgy to crisp and defined. It's like Rosenberg is showing off all the things this material can do. Look at how he renders the trees in the foreground. Each mark feels deliberate, building up to create these tangled forms. Then, notice how the application becomes more atmospheric towards the horizon line. The whole scene has this slightly melancholic tone, as if Rosenberg is wrestling with the question of how to capture nature. The density of the print reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz’s stark use of lithography to portray themes of poverty and suffering. Maybe Rosenberg was looking at her work? Either way, the effect is a powerful reminder that art thrives in uncertainty.