Illinois Landscape 1938

William Jacobs made this woodcut print called Illinois Landscape in 1938. What strikes me about this piece is the way Jacobs coaxes so much variety out of simple black and white marks. It's a testament to the power of limitations, right? Look at the sky, how he uses closely packed parallel lines to give a sense of depth and stormy weather. Then shift your gaze to the trees, notice the stippled effect, creating a sense of volume and texture. The contrast between these areas is so sharp, it's almost as if they occupy different dimensions. I am reminded of the graphic work of someone like Lynd Ward, but there's something very personal in Jacob's mark making that feels very unique. He seems to be carving out his own little corner of the world, one careful slice at a time. It's a reminder that art doesn't always need a ton of bells and whistles to make an impact, sometimes less really is more.