Harlem Beauty 1930

Werner Drewes made this print, called "Harlem Beauty," in 1930. Look at the strong contrast between black and white, the way the artist carved into the wood block to create this image. I can imagine him, tool in hand, carefully chiseling away, figuring out how to capture the planes of the sitter's face. What was Drewes thinking? Was he trying to evoke something essential about his subject, or was he more interested in the formal play of light and shadow? The rough texture gives the print a tactile quality; you can almost feel the grain of the wood. That single white line tracing the back of the head is such a simple yet effective gesture, isn't it? It reminds me a little of the graphic work of someone like Elizabeth Catlett, although Drewes's style is distinctly his own. Artists like Drewes and Catlett build on those who came before while forging a new path. Painting is an invitation to embrace the unknown.