Snow c. 1910

George Elbert Burr made this print called Snow with a metal plate, some ink, and a press, and of course, a plan. The marks are like tiny, deliberate scratches that come together to form this quiet, snowy scene. The texture is smooth overall, but look closely, and you'll see the subtle variations in tone and line that give it depth. See how Burr uses these tiny marks to create the impression of light and shadow on the snow-covered ground? It's almost like he's sculpting with light. That dark patch in the lower right, with its vertical lines, feels a bit like a curtain, or a stage. Burr’s been looking at Japanese prints, I’d bet. Think about those Hiroshige snow scenes, that same kind of quiet and stillness. It’s like Burr is inviting us to step into a world that's both familiar and strange. Art, right? It's a conversation.