Minor Arts in Santa Croce (Le arti minore in Santa Croce) 1968

Pietro Parigi made this print titled 'Minor Arts in Santa Croce', but we don't know exactly when or with what. What I find so striking is the decision to limit the palette to just black and white. It forces you to see the shapes, the contrasts, and the stark geometry of the composition. Look at how the white carves out the forms – the figure, the building – against this sea of black. I love how it feels both precise and a bit raw. There's a graphic quality to the line, like in the parallel hatching that defines the shadows and textures. It's not about blending or illusion, it's about the physicality of the medium, the way the tool bites into the surface. The lines become the form. And then, there's that almost eerie light source in the upper right. It's strange, and a bit unsettling. I can see echoes of German Expressionist woodcuts from the early 20th Century, with their bold contrasts and dramatic compositions. Art is an ongoing conversation. It's never about having all the answers, but about embracing the questions.