The Studio 1930

Editor: Here we have "The Studio," an etching by Aaron Bohrod from 1930. It has a rather dreamlike quality to it, with the stark nude figure contrasting with the patterned background. What strikes you about the composition of this print? Curator: The figure is, indeed, centrally positioned, almost confronting the viewer directly. However, the space is shallow, compressed, and filled with competing patterns and textures that both highlight and flatten the forms. Notice how the diamond pattern on the male figure in the background fights for dominance with the floral wallpaper to the right. Editor: So, you're saying it is almost a competition between the figures and their setting? Curator: Precisely. Observe the way the etched lines define and describe form. They vary in thickness and direction, creating a network of marks that seem to vibrate across the surface of the image. Where does your eye travel first? Editor: I'm drawn to the female figure because of her frontal positioning and, frankly, because of her nudity. The background almost fades, acting like an embellishment of the scene, though one which as you mention threatens to overtake it. Are these different realities perhaps? Curator: It could very well be that Bohrod uses semiotics of composition to speak to a certain psychological state; he places starkly the two people at stake while creating some amount of disturbance around them to represent a deeper reality of a personal studio. What have we learned about formal composition here? Editor: It's become clear to me how the composition elements, especially the strategic use of line and form, contribute significantly to how we perceive not only the subject but also the emotional tenor of the space.