TOM c. 1940

This is a woodcut print, probably made sometime in the mid-20th century by William Parker Abbe. Look at how the dark ink has been carved away to reveal the image. I imagine Abbe working in his studio, carefully removing slivers of wood. The stark contrast between black and white makes it bold, graphic. "Tom" – who is this character? Is he balancing on the back of an elephant? His stern expression and outstretched arms give him the air of a ringmaster, but his slightly cartoonish features undercut any real authority. Maybe Tom is Abbe himself, playfully sending up the art world, or maybe some personal joke we aren't in on. I love how the composition is both flat and strangely sculptural, creating a world within the wood. The angular forms and high contrast have a kinship with the German Expressionists, but its humor is all Abbe. Artists are always picking up on each other's ideas, riffing on them, making something new. That's the beauty of art: it's a constant conversation, and this print is just one line in a much longer dialogue.