Village in the Sun 1951

Charles Capps made this etching titled ‘Village in the Sun’ sometime in the mid-20th century, and what strikes me is its tonal depth and the way the artist has used light and shadow to create a sense of place. I imagine Capps carefully working on the plate, building up layers of tiny marks to achieve the subtle gradations we see. The texture feels almost palpable, particularly in the foreground, where the rocky outcrop leads the eye toward the village nestled in the distance. There’s a quiet, contemplative quality to this print, which makes me think of other American artists working at the time, like Edward Hopper, who were similarly drawn to the beauty of everyday scenes. You know, it's as if Capps is saying: look closely, there is beauty to be found in the simplest of subjects. And isn’t that what art’s all about? Finding new ways of seeing and experiencing the world around us, carrying on the conversation, each artist building on what came before.