Mad House, November 13 1929

James N. Rosenberg made this lithograph called 'Mad House, November 13, 1929' – you can see the date inscribed right in the middle. It’s all jagged lines and scratchy textures, like he was wrestling with the stone, you know? There's a real sense of urgency in the way he’s worked the lithographic crayon, especially in the dark, looming shapes that crowd the composition. The marks are raw, direct, and full of energy. Take a look at the faces at the bottom. Each one is etched with such sharp, expressive lines – a primal scream rendered in ink. It's like you can feel the chaos and anxiety he was channeling. It reminds me a bit of some of the German Expressionists, like Kirchner or Heckel. They were also grappling with the unease of their time, using distorted forms and bold lines to convey a sense of psychological turmoil. But Rosenberg brings his own flavor to it. It's like a visual howl, a snapshot of a world on edge.