Untitled (Suburb) c. 1938 - 1948

Lynd Kendall Ward made this untitled print, probably a wood engraving, sometime in the mid-20th century. The stark black and white gives it a real graphic punch. You can see Ward using different marks to create different textures, a tight crosshatch for the roofs, looser lines for the trees. It’s fascinating how he creates depth using only light and shadow. Look at the way the houses are rendered, so solid and still, and then below them, this chaotic construction site teeming with tiny figures. The contrast is striking. I love the way the composition is cut off at the bottom, like a stage set, with the pipes coming right at us. Ward reminds me a bit of German Expressionist printmakers like Kathe Kollwitz, in the way he uses stark contrasts and dramatic angles to convey a sense of social commentary. There's definitely an uneasiness in the piece, which is a bit different from the usual picture-perfect suburb.