A Staircase / Narbonne 1930

Editor: Here we have Roger Fry's "A Staircase / Narbonne." It’s giving me a bit of an M.C. Escher vibe, with its perspective and angles. What strikes you about this print? Curator: It's interesting you mention Escher. I see that architectural fascination too, but Fry also invites a sense of intimacy. The light almost seems to dance, doesn't it? Look how it caresses the balustrades. Fry, though, known more as a critic, brings a unique sensitivity to line and form. Do you feel that? Editor: Absolutely. The hatching creates depth but also a softness that I wasn't expecting. I guess I thought it would feel more rigid. Curator: Yes! That's it! And I wonder if that's Fry’s gift—to soften the rigid. It has made me see new possibilities today. Editor: Me too! It makes you wonder what else Fry might have created.