The photograph “Violin Patterns” by artist Arnold Newman was captured in Philadelphia in the year 1941. It presents an intriguing black and white composition involving various violin parts. You can see what appear to be the templates or cutouts of violin components spread out with a sense of randomness but also deliberate arrangement. The uneven lighting casts shadows and highlights the textures on the surfaces, giving a tactile sense to the image. The main pieces include what looks like a side or back panel of a violin with its elegant curves, a scroll, and smaller wooden parts that might be part of the instrument’s intricate structure. The composition is an exploration of form and shadow, utilizing the elements of the violin to create a graphic and almost abstract artistic expression.
