Southern Railway 1940

Ernest J. Hopf made this print, Southern Railway, using an analogue process that involves building up the image through tiny hatched marks, giving it a real sense of depth. The way the artist uses line is just lovely, it’s like he’s thinking aloud, letting the image emerge, and that feels deeply personal. Look closely and you can see how the textures of the man’s overalls have been carefully created using cross-hatching, and how this contrasts with the more sweeping marks in the sky. There's a real honesty in the mark making. You can sense the labor and the time he put into making this image, a fitting reflection of the scene he depicts. You know, looking at the way the ground is depicted here, I am reminded of the work of Gertrude Hermes, who was a brilliant wood engraver. Like Hopf, she uses a limited tonal range to create a vivid sense of place and atmosphere. Ultimately, these pieces remind us that artmaking is an ongoing conversation.