Landscape of War c. 1944

Rudolph T. Pen made this image, Landscape of War, using lithographic ink on paper. I love the way it looks like it has emerged from the depths! It’s all tones and textures, from the inky blacks of the sky to the softer greys of the ruins and bodies. You can almost feel the hand of the artist moving across the stone, pressing hard in some areas, and gently caressing in others. It’s a really physical process, and it makes me think about what Pen was trying to communicate through the act of making. There's a raw, unfiltered quality to the work, like he’s reaching for something beyond the surface of things, trying to capture the essence of destruction. The scene feels chaotic and bleak. The tree with its branches reaching up reminds me of the human impulse to survive. Pen’s work reminds me of Goya's Disasters of War, not just in its subject matter, but in its unflinching gaze and commitment to bearing witness. It’s a testament to the enduring power of art to confront the darkest aspects of human experience and to remind us of our shared humanity.