Backyard Cat (large version) 1931

Lucienne Bloch made this relief print called Backyard Cat. The limited palette—all blacks and whites—pushes the image into high contrast. The artist carved away at the block, and then printed it, probably by hand, building up the image bit by bit. I imagine her thinking about the cat, and what cats do, how they see, how they sit. The cat is perched on a wall, looking off to the side with blazing eyes. It’s a beautiful cat. But I also feel sorry for her, stuck here in this backyard. The lines in the background are frantic. It's not a relaxing place. Even though the cat is in the foreground, the artist is interested in the background and the patterns and textures she can create. The print reminds me of the woodcuts of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, and the way he used heavy lines and shadows to make you feel claustrophobic. Artists are always talking to each other and responding to the past, aren't they? Each mark is a thought, a feeling, a micro-decision. This Backyard Cat opens up so many places to rest your eyes, and let your imagination roam.