On the Free Shore 1936

Alessandro Mastro-Valerio made this print, "On the Free Shore," using a plate to create the image in tones of grey. Look closely, and you'll see how Mastro-Valerio coaxes so much from so little. It's not about perfection here; it's about the materiality, the texture he achieves with those greys. I’m drawn to the way the tonal range is applied, from almost velvety to almost scratchy. He's creating an atmosphere, a mood. My eye keeps going to the seated figure on the right, her pose, almost like a question mark. The way her skin is rendered, that soft yet firm texture. You can almost feel the warmth radiating off of her. It’s almost as if Mastro-Valerio’s inviting us into a secret, intimate space, and it reminds me of the prints of Paula Modersohn-Becker in its quiet intensity. Ultimately, this print reminds me that art is about suggestion, invitation, and the beauty of uncertainty.