September Morn 1918

Clifford Kennedy Berryman made this drawing in 1918 for The Evening Star, using ink on paper. It's all about line, hatching, and cross-hatching to build up form. The lines are economical, but oh-so-expressive. The texture in the piece is all about the ink. Look how he builds up the dark areas with tight, dense lines, and lets the white of the paper do the work in the lighter areas. The ripple effect of the water seems delicate and fragile, in stark contrast to the advancing figure of the German soldier wading through it. The "Somme" title is written in bold letters that appear to be floating on the water’s surface. It's a really powerful effect, that uses text and image as one. I see echoes of artists like George Grosz, who were using similar techniques to express their views on the absurdity of war. Art is such an ongoing conversation, isn't it? There is no one meaning, but a multitude of interpretations.