Judith 1950

Benton Spruance’s “Judith” is made of a series of flat color blocks and bold shapes. The mood is dark and somewhat troubled with shades of green and pink, like the artist was finding his way through a thicket. I wonder about the physical process of making this lithograph. Was it intuitive, or did Spruance have to work against the grain of the stone to get the image just right? I can imagine him carefully building up the layers of color, unsure how it would all come together in the end. Look at the way the pale pinks mix with the darker greens to create a sense of unease. It makes me think about the messy, complex nature of life itself, full of contradictions and unexpected twists. This piece reminds me of other artists who have explored similar themes of violence and redemption. Think of Caravaggio, Artemisia Gentileschi, Kathe Kollwitz, or Paula Rego. Artists are always talking to each other across time, responding to each other's ideas and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. For me, painting is a way of making sense of the world. It's a way of grappling with difficult questions and finding beauty in the midst of chaos.