Marble Quarry

Rudolf Kugler

Kugler’s eye finds the pace and rhythm of industry in “Marble Quarry,” contrasting the angular, sharp-edged machinery of human development against the wild patterns of exposed geological history.

Abstracted depictions of civilization dominated Kugler’s early to mid-century work before he moved solidly into a non-representational style. Cities, villages, and sparsely populated natural landscapes were equally vibrant with life. His sculptural handling of the matrix to coax forth scenes of humankind’s footprint from the plate creates a nearly three-dimensional illusion, as seen in the sharply-outlined, rigid shapes containing the freeform textures of this etching.