Fisherman's Luck 1939

Harry Gottlieb made this print, Fisherman’s Luck, sometime in the 20th century. The palette is muted but the scene is high drama! You get the sense that the work itself was a struggle with the woodblock: the lines are deeply carved and there is a raw energy in the waves. There’s a really nice contrast between the cool blues and greens of the water and the warmer tones of the figures and the beach. I like the way the artist uses color to create depth, with the darker blues in the foreground and the lighter blues in the background. Notice also the sky, which is full of active marks. The waves of the sea seem to be echoed by the clouds above. In the detail of the fisherman in the boat, you can see the range of textures and tones that Gottlieb achieves in the medium of woodblock printing. You see the influence of earlier printmakers like the German Expressionists, but Gottlieb has a very unique sensibility. His images are always full of life and movement, and he has a great sense of humor. Is ‘luck’ really the right word for this scene? Maybe!