Jersey Hills 1923

Editor: This is George "Pop" Hart's "Jersey Hills," created in 1923 using graphite, pencil, and colored pencil. It gives off a muted, almost melancholic vibe with its soft, blended textures. What do you see in terms of the piece's visual construction? Curator: Immediately, I’m struck by the interplay between light and shadow, created through the strategic application of graphite. Notice how Hart uses dense areas of hatching and cross-hatching to create depth and volume within the forms of the buildings. Observe how this creates an intricate composition defined by the linear elements; they construct an overall form while varying in tone and direction to shape the eye's movement. How do the buildings work alongside other compositional elements such as the horizon and tree? Editor: The soft colors add a dream-like quality, a stark contrast to the underlying structure defined by the graphite. The tree and horizon balance, but also divide the picture plane. It almost looks like the tree is "guarding" the figure that can be seen alongside it. Curator: Precisely. Now, consider how the color palette interacts with the underlying drawing. Is it strictly representational, or does the addition of color alter the mood and compositional structure? Further, consider that the colors employed contribute to the flattened picture plane, drawing it towards abstraction. Editor: The color doesn't really seem representational to me; it's almost arbitrary. It reinforces that the picture exists on its own as a thing, apart from it just being a scene, you know? Curator: An astute observation! This tension exemplifies how Hart leverages both representational and abstract elements. We must think critically about color and drawing, structure and chaos, in this work. Editor: Thank you! I see a new sense of complexity that I missed at first glance. Curator: Indeed. Paying careful attention to an artwork’s structure and use of color, such as how line, tone, and shading can contribute to abstraction, can tell you everything you need to know.