The Whiteness of the Whale c. 1967

Benton Spruance made this artwork, "The Whiteness of the Whale," using lithographic crayon and tusche wash on paper. I can only imagine Spruance’s process as he worked in blacks, whites, and grays. He must have been wrestling with the image, almost fighting the stone to coax out the whale from its shadowy depths! I wonder what it must have felt like to create this monochromatic scene, evoking Melville’s tale of obsession and the sublime terror of nature. The whale emerges, not just as a form but as an idea, a feeling, embodying the mystery and power of the ocean. Look at the marks on the whale's body - they convey so much of the creature's scale and texture. It's so tactile! The thin lines cutting through the dark depths hint at both the whale's vulnerability and its strength, a reminder that in painting, as in life, we are constantly navigating the interplay between control and chance.