Petroglyph - Human Figures 1935 - 1942

Lala Eve Rivol made this print, "Petroglyph - Human Figures," using a graphic style that feels both ancient and fresh. The ochre background is a wash, a sort of primal soup, from which the figures emerge. Two figures stand, arms raised, atop what could be a vessel or a fantastical beast. The palette is limited to black, white, and red, giving it the feel of cave paintings or indigenous art. Look closely, and you can see the hand-drawn quality of the lines, a slight wobble that gives the piece its charm. The texture is smooth, the colors flat, which only heightens the graphic impact. The whole thing feels less like a representation and more like a symbol, a distillation of human experience into essential forms. It reminds me a little of Miro, in its playful abstraction. Ultimately, this print is an invitation to imagine, to create our own stories within its simple, powerful lines.