Martin Puryear, who is best known for his sculptures, describes printmaking as allowing more spontaneity and immediacy than is possible in three-dimensional works. While the solid forms seen in this etching reference the clean geometry of 1960s Minimalist art, Puryear eschews that movement’s precise lines and sharp edges in favor of curvilinear shapes. Puryear’s concern with the process of crafting a work of art, and the visible traces of the artist’s hand that result, further differentiate Puryear’s works from their Minimalist predecessors. The lines and marks throughout the background of this print are the result of Puryear’s use of a soft-ground etching technique, which creates the appearance of a grainy surface and captures the nuanced textures seen across his work.