Gloucester Swing 1952

Gerson Leiber made this print, Gloucester Swing, likely using etching techniques, a process of mark-making that feels immediate yet requires a lot of steps. Look at how the lines create a sense of depth, and how the artist is playing with our perception. There’s a lovely tension here between abstraction and representation. The scene is made up of many fine lines, but if you follow them, they create boats. It's like he's trying to capture not just what he sees, but the experience of seeing itself. The most intriguing thing about this print is its all-over quality, like a swarm of bees. But if you look closer, you’ll see these little details that make the piece really pop. Take the wheel towards the lower left corner of the piece. It stands out, doesn’t it? Yet it’s completely integrated into the overall image. I’m reminded of Leger, another artist who embraced modern life by abstracting it.