They Shall Not Pass c. 1937

Paul Weller made this print, called 'They Shall Not Pass', sometime in the 20th century, but the date remains unknown. The starkness of the black ink on paper grabs you right away. You can see the artist's hand in every mark, the way the lines build up to create these figures, these soldiers, rushing forward. It's like he's building the image out of pure energy. Look at the foreground where the ladder lays. The blacks are dense, almost velvety, while other areas have a scratchy quality. This contrast creates depth, pulling you into the scene. The figures in the background become these shadowy, almost spectral shapes. They are there but also seem to dissolve into the chaos of the moment. Weller’s work, like that of Kathe Kollwitz, speaks to the anxieties of their respective times. But what is wonderful about prints, and this one, is that this feeling, this conversation, extends across time. It’s never really fixed, and continues to shift and change with us.