Burial at Ludlow Colorado c. 1940

David Stone Martin made this print, Burial at Ludlow Colorado, sometime in the 20th century, and it’s all about the process of looking closely. The printmaking itself—the dark, etched lines—lends a weight and gravity to the scene. Look at how Martin uses line to create texture and depth, especially in the figures carrying the coffin. The lines aren't just outlines; they’re like tiny roads mapping the emotional terrain of the piece. Notice that one man’s arm reaching for the coffin, the way Martin captures the strain and solemnity through dense, almost frantic mark-making. It's raw, and you can almost feel the weight of the coffin. The whole composition feels like a memory, both fragmented and intensely felt. It reminds me a bit of Kathe Kollwitz, especially her focus on the suffering of ordinary people. Like Kollwitz, Martin invites us to contemplate the human cost of conflict and injustice, and leaves us with a feeling, not a statement.