Quiet Hour 1947

Stow Wengenroth's lithograph depicts a quiet street scene, likely made with a smooth stone and greasy crayon. Imagine the artist bent over the stone, coaxing out these shades of night through layering, rubbing, and scraping. What was he thinking as he conjured this nocturnal vision? You know, it reminds me a little of Edward Hopper's paintings, but with a softer touch, less alienation, more intimacy. The light seems to emanate from the paper itself, a silvery glow that softens every edge. I can almost feel the stillness of the night, the hushed anticipation before dawn. And those stark, dark trees – they're like a chorus of silent witnesses. Maybe Wengenroth wanted to capture a fleeting moment of peace, a small pocket of calm amidst the urban chaos. It shows how artists are always borrowing, stealing, riffing off of each other's ideas across time. Painting and printmaking allow us to see and feel the world anew, embracing all of its beauty and complexity.