Panther in Tree 1948 - 1949

Curator: This woodcut, entitled "Panther in Tree," was created by Roy Lichtenstein between 1948 and 1949. It's a relatively early piece in his career, predating his iconic pop art style. Editor: My first impression is a sense of mystery. The stark contrast of black and white creates a shadowy, dreamlike quality. The composition feels somewhat disjointed, almost like a collection of fragmented memories. Curator: That fragmented quality might stem from the process of woodcut itself. Lichtenstein would have carved away at a wood block, painstakingly removing material to create the design. The gouges and cuts define the image as much as the remaining surface. Consider the labor involved in manually producing this kind of print versus later photographic methods of print-making he favored later in his Pop Art production. Editor: Absolutely, and it does feel incredibly tactile. The heavy blacks evoke primitive expression. The panther, rendered so abstractly, evokes primal power and hidden menace. Is the placement of the house nearby symbolic? Curator: Potentially. Houses often represent safety, or at least domicile. The proximity is unsettling; Lichtenstein challenges this expectation, doesn't he? Consider also the shapes within, not all elements have distinct boundaries, so is the composition working on positive/negative grounds alone, or trying to make a commentary about clear divides in our material conditions? Editor: The stark juxtaposition does trigger some unsettling reflections. Perhaps this print offers an implicit critique of domesticity in opposition with the power of nature? Note how motifs like the house and plant are embedded in this inky darkness! The negative space of the design helps to emphasize the panther and perhaps even it’s prey? It feels so deeply symbolic! Curator: Symbolism expressed through these processes provides the viewing public not only visual appeal but it triggers them into thinking of social messages also. How do we think of landscape art now in an epoch marred by our impact on ecologies and global concerns? The print medium allowed affordable artistic creation available for purchase and distribution for everyone, thereby allowing further debate. Editor: Precisely, there is much contained in these limited areas. Thank you for your contribution, the imagery now lingers in my mind. Curator: Likewise.