Vieux Port and Notre Dame de la Garde, Marseilles, France 1932

Henry J. Glintenkamp made this print, "Vieux Port and Notre Dame de la Garde, Marseilles, France" using stark black ink to capture a busy port scene. Looking at this image, I’m struck by how every mark feels purposeful, part of a larger conversation. Glintenkamp's method feels a bit like improvisation. You can sense him carving away at the wood, deciding where to leave the light and shadow. The texture he achieves is remarkable. See the way he uses closely packed lines to create depth and form, especially in the hull of the ship? This reminds me of how Edward Hopper played with light and shadow, but Glintenkamp brings a different, more graphic sensibility. Ultimately, a piece like this reminds us that art isn't about answers, but about the ongoing exchange of seeing and thinking.