River Lullaby 1947

"River Lullaby" was made in 1947 by Geno Pettit, likely using screen printing techniques. Just imagine him layering those colors, one on top of the other! I’m drawn to the calmness of the scene, the mother-child relationship depicted through such a limited palette. Pettit seemed interested in the interplay between flat, graphic shapes and this universal theme of motherhood. Look at the way he uses color – those blues and greens are so soothing, like the gentle rocking of a boat. But then, there are these graphic details in the mother's clothing, which create a tension between the domesticity of the lullaby and a wider set of signs and symbols that are culturally inscribed on the body. It reminds me of the kind of work that was being done at the time in printmaking and design, how artists were trying to make art accessible and part of everyday life. I feel as though Pettit is in conversation with these impulses through this piece, merging storytelling with formal play.