 |
| Edward Calvert The Ploughman 1827 wood engraving Yale Center for British Art |
 |
| Jean-François Millet Digger 1863 woodcut Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
 |
| Henri Regnault Anatomical studies of a horse (preparatory sketches for Automedon with the Horses of Achilles) 1868 drawing Museum of Fine Arts, Boston |
from These Lacustrine Cities
These lacustrine cities grew out of loathing
Into something forgetful, although angry with history.
They are the product of an idea: that man is horrible, for instance,
Though this is only one example.
They emerged until a tower
Controlled the sky, and with artifice dipped back
Into the past for swans and tapering branches,
Burning, until all that hate was transformed into useless love.
Then you are left with an idea of yourself
And the feeling of ascending emptiness of the afternoon
Which must be charged to the embarrassment of others
Who fly by you like beacons.
– John Ashbery, from Rivers and Mountains (Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 1966)
 |
| Auguste Rodin Study for Bas-relief ca. 1890 drawing Harvard Art Museums |
 |
| John Singer Sargent Model with drapery ca. 1890-1915 drawing Harvard Art Museums |
 |
| Félix Vallotton Le Bain 1894 woodcut Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
 |
| Emil Ganso One Thousand and One Nights ca. 1920-40 relief print Philadelphia Museum of Art |
 |
| Emil Ganso Two Bathers ca. 1920-40 relief print Philadelphia Museum of Art |
 |
| Rockwell Kent Bookplate for Carl Zigrosser ca. 1920 relief print Philadelphia Museum of Art |
from The Skaters
What is the matter with plain old-fashioned cause-and-effect?
Leaving one alone with romantic impressions of the trees, the sky?
Who, actually, is going to be fooled one instant by these phony explanations,
Think them important? So back we go to the old, imprecise feelings, the
Common knowledge, the importance of duly suffering and the occasional glimpses
Of some balmy felicity. The world of Schubert's lieder. I am fascinated
Though by the urge to get out of it all, by going
Further in and correcting the whole mismanaged mess. But am afraid I'll
Be of no help to you. Good-bye.
– John Ashbery, from Rivers and Mountains (Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 1966)
 |
| Rockwell Kent Bookplate for Olga Drexel Dahlgren 1927 relief print Philadelphia Museum of Art |
 |
| Lovis Corinth On Learning to Print (illustrated handbook by Lovis Corinth) before 1925 letterpress Harvard Art Museums |
 |
| Wanda Gág Orange Squeezer 1932 etching Philadelphia Museum of Art |
 |
| Wanda Gág Self-caricature (announcement for retrospective exhibition) 1940 relief print Philadelphia Museum of Art |
 |
| Harry Sternberg Harlequins 1953 color relief-etching with encaustic Philadelphia Museum of Art |