Snow in Springtime

This raucous print, one of John Platt’s earliest, was revolutionary in every way. Rarely had the leaders of Britain’s early 20th-century color woodcut revival depicted movement so vividly and in such a modern, contemporary setting. Nor were they in the habit of using family members as models. The two girls sharing the swing are Platt’s sisters, Marian and Kathleen. Safely off to the side are his young children, Anthea and Michael. After making this print, seen here in an exceptionally crisp, colorful impression, the meticulous Platt returned to tradition and spent the 1920s doing mostly landscapes.