A Roundelay 1906

This woodblock print, A Roundelay, was made by Helen Hyde probably sometime around 1906. The way the image comes together suggests the artist is really thinking about the process of artmaking. There's a real interest in mark-making and a limited palette, mostly blues, pinks, and yellows. The material aspects of this piece are incredible. The texture isn't just seen; you can almost feel it. Look at how she’s layered the ink. It’s thin in some places, almost transparent, and thicker in others, giving depth. Consider the area with the blossoming tree. Each tiny speck seems deliberately placed. What strikes me is the contrast, how the soft blossoms are set against the sharp, angular branches. It’s a beautiful visual metaphor for growth and resilience, how something delicate can emerge from the starkest conditions. Hyde was part of a wave of artists who were in conversation with Japanese woodblock prints at this time, like maybe you could also compare her work with someone like Mary Cassatt. It's all about embracing ambiguity and different perspectives.