In the Beginning 1931

Grace Albee began this small wood engraving, ‘In the Beginning’, in 1931. The whole image is built up with such meticulous detail, using just black ink and white space. It's like she’s thinking through every single cut and line. Look at how the textures vary, from the rippling fabric of the kneeling figure’s robes to the rough, shadowy mountains in the background. There's a real sense of depth and atmosphere, all achieved with these tiny marks. Notice how the star in the sky shoots light down towards the figures. It is made of so many tiny lines, giving it an ethereal quality. You see Albee really understood the process of printmaking, not just as reproduction, but as a form of drawing. It reminds me of the work of someone like M.C. Escher, where precision and planning create these surreal and captivating worlds. It’s a reminder that art thrives on conversation and the continuous exchange of ideas.