The Explorers

Ernest Watson spent his career exploring the limits of linoleum. In this strange scene he takes advantage of the medium’s best attributes: its glass-smooth surface, which allowed for application of even color; and its soft composition, which allowed for crisply detailed carving. In the distance, the expedition trudges beneath a seamless molten sky pierced with ghostly limbs. In the foreground all is decay. Could Watson have been looking at mummies and zombies for inspiration? It’s not clear where the explorers are heading, but there appears to be hardship ahead whether they come through the opening or stay where they are.