Plate 1923

This plate was made anonymously, and the date is unknown, but the arrangement of shapes feel so familiar. The red floats on a black background, that almost looks like a child’s drawing of the night sky, but then the composition has a really strong geometric, almost constructivist feel. You can see the evidence of the maker's hand. The surface of the plate isn't perfectly smooth; you can see the circular marks and ridges, like it was turned on a lathe. The red sections are flat, without texture, but they appear as if the black was laid down first. I keep thinking about that large red circle; it's the focal point, of course, but it seems off-center, caught in the orbit of the other elements, suspended in space. Thinking about the bold use of color and simplified forms, I’m put in mind of Miro, but he was much more chaotic in his arrangements. This feels very considered and resolved to me. It has a kind of quiet boldness, doesn’t it?