Untitled (Cops and Protestors) 1932

Lynd Kendall Ward created this wood engraving, "Cops and Protestors," capturing a moment of stark confrontation. Here, the raised baton of the officer looms, a symbol of authority turned to potential violence, contrasting sharply with the vulnerable figure of the protestor beneath his arm. The baton, reminiscent of ancient symbols of power—scepters and staffs—appears across millennia, from Roman lictors to modern police forces. Yet, its meaning twists with context. Consider the raised fist: in one era, a symbol of solidarity and resistance; in another, a sign of aggression. These gestures, imprinted in our collective memory, evoke primal responses. There's a raw emotional power in the composition, a psychological tension drawing us into the heart of conflict. This potent imagery reflects the cyclical nature of history, where symbols of power and resistance constantly resurface, each time carrying echoes of past struggles, yet molded by new social realities.