Nero 1944

Benton Spruance made this lithograph called Nero, and it feels like a stage set, a moment suspended in time. I like how the light and shadow play, creating a kind of hushed atmosphere. It’s like the instruments are waiting to be played, their silent music echoing in the stillness. I can almost hear the faint hum of a jazz solo or the melancholic tune of a blues song. Spruance has this knack for capturing a mood, a feeling, with such simple means. It’s not just about showing us what’s there but making us feel it too. The surface is smooth, almost velvety, yet every mark feels deliberate and intentional. I can't help thinking about other artists who've played with light and shadow, like Edward Hopper. Maybe Spruance was thinking about him too? It feels like a conversation across time, a dialogue between artists who are trying to make sense of the world in their own way. It's all so open-ended. I love that feeling of uncertainty, the sense that anything is possible.