Buy War Bonds c. 1940s

Joseph John Paul Meert made this print, Buy War Bonds, during a time of crisis, using graphic lines and bold forms. It's like Meert built this image up layer by layer, color by color, allowing the forms to emerge with each pass. I can imagine him, sleeves rolled up, carefully aligning each block, pressing the paper, pulling it back to reveal the image slowly materializing. The textures feel so deliberate, each choice pushing and pulling the composition into shape. The slightly off-register colors make the image feel more lively somehow. Think of those determined figures, caught in a moment of collective purpose. The one holding the pen, poised to sign, it suggests a commitment, a decision made amidst the turmoil of war. There's a dialogue happening here, a conversation across time and media. Every artist builds on what came before, responding to history, to each other, with their own creative voice.