Werner Hofmann, art historian, who has taught at Harvard University, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Vienna in Austria, and Columbia University, and who has held the position of director of Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts in Vienna, Austria (now Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien). and Hamburger Kunsthalle in Hamburg, Germany, reflected on R.H. Crane's Crossed Silver: Poems in Poetry, Drawing, and Geometry, in Wochenpost:
These poems make geometry speak
its hidden language
& they reveal
the secret order
underlying
our verbal systems
“'Derschmale Band enthaelt Gedichte, kurze Posastuecke und Zeichnungen, deren innerer Bezug sich erst in der intensiven Lektuere erschliesst, denn die Zeichnungen, bestehend aus einfachen, meist abstrakten Figuren, illustrieren nicht die Gedichte, sondern schaffen intellektuelle Spannungsboegen, Parallen und Konstraste. Was Sprache und Zeichnung verbindet, ist die Meidung des Gesuchten, das Streben nach der Nuance des Ausdrucks im Wort wie im Strich der Feder. Vertraute Woerter gerinnen zu pointierten, gelegentlichen paradoxen Formulierungen, die dem Leser Kontemplation auferlegen.'”Peter Hohendahl, literary theorist, Cornell University, German Department, Eintracht
"The thin volume contains poetry, short pieces of prose and drawings. The connections between these reveals itself only at intensive reading since the drawings, containing of simple, mostly abstract figures do not illustrate the poems but create their own intellectual arcs of tension, parallels, and contrasts. The thing that connects language and drawing is avoiding everything that is intentionally looked for, the thriving for different shades in expression in words as well as in drawing. Familiar words become pithy, sometimes paradox ways of expression demanding rationality of the reader." Peter Hohendahl, literary theorist, Cornell University, German Department, translation by German American Chamber of Commerce
"'There is no need for geometric criticism to approach Crossed Silver. Each geometric drawing serves to silhouette the ideas of a poem in this shockingly well-structured book.
Both hemispheres of the reader are forced to work proving that geometric vision is not that far from verbal expression.
Drawings on the right, poems on the left – the form and the substance? – No. There is nothing in it. These sides in the book do not illustrate each other. Being inseparable, they rather illuminate Crossed Silver. Like neurons conducting messages to the entire brain." Csokas Laszlo, Eotvos Lorand Tudomanyegyetem, literary critic, Eintracht
"'Die Nuechternheit und Einfachheit der Gedichte sowie auch von den geometrischen Skizzen verbergen ein kuenstlerisches Talent von sehr hohem Rang. Das Werk kann wirklich als Seltenheit gelten und lohnt den Leser jedesmal, das er neu dazu kommt.'" Kenneth J. Northcott, the University of Chicago, who has taught in the German department and translated many works of German masters, Wochenpost "The rationality and simplicity of the poems as well as the geometric sketches show a high-ranking artistic talent. This can be considered a unique work of art rewarding to any new reader finding his way to it." Kenneth J. Northcott, the University of Chicago, who has taught in the German department and translated many works of German masters, translation by German American Chamber of Commerce Renate Princess zu Windisch-Graetz, Generalkonsulat der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, in her letter of honor to R.H. Crane for R.H. Crane's Crossed Silver: Poems in Poetry, Drawing, and Geometry, writes, "It is indeed a unique book, a new approach and fascinating concept. Who would ever dream of combining geometric drawings and poetry, especially in such harmony."
“'Derschmale Band enthaelt Gedichte, kurze Posastuecke und Zeichnungen, deren innerer Bezug sich erst in der intensiven Lektuere erschliesst, denn die Zeichnungen, bestehend aus einfachen, meist abstrakten Figuren, illustrieren nicht die Gedichte, sondern schaffen intellektuelle Spannungsboegen, Parallen und Konstraste. Was Sprache und Zeichnung verbindet, ist die Meidung des Gesuchten, das Streben nach der Nuance des Ausdrucks im Wort wie im Strich der Feder. Vertraute Woerter gerinnen zu pointierten, gelegentlichen paradoxen Formulierungen, die dem Leser Kontemplation auferlegen.'”Peter Hohendahl, literary theorist, Cornell University, German Department, Eintracht
"The thin volume contains poetry, short pieces of prose and drawings. The connections between these reveals itself only at intensive reading since the drawings, containing of simple, mostly abstract figures do not illustrate the poems but create their own intellectual arcs of tension, parallels, and contrasts. The thing that connects language and drawing is avoiding everything that is intentionally looked for, the thriving for different shades in expression in words as well as in drawing. Familiar words become pithy, sometimes paradox ways of expression demanding rationality of the reader." Peter Hohendahl, literary theorist, Cornell University, German Department, translation by German American Chamber of Commerce
"'There is no need for geometric criticism to approach Crossed Silver. Each geometric drawing serves to silhouette the ideas of a poem in this shockingly well-structured book.
Both hemispheres of the reader are forced to work proving that geometric vision is not that far from verbal expression.
Drawings on the right, poems on the left – the form and the substance? – No. There is nothing in it. These sides in the book do not illustrate each other. Being inseparable, they rather illuminate Crossed Silver. Like neurons conducting messages to the entire brain." Csokas Laszlo, Eotvos Lorand Tudomanyegyetem, literary critic, Eintracht
"'Die Nuechternheit und Einfachheit der Gedichte sowie auch von den geometrischen Skizzen verbergen ein kuenstlerisches Talent von sehr hohem Rang. Das Werk kann wirklich als Seltenheit gelten und lohnt den Leser jedesmal, das er neu dazu kommt.'" Kenneth J. Northcott, the University of Chicago, who has taught in the German department and translated many works of German masters, Wochenpost "The rationality and simplicity of the poems as well as the geometric sketches show a high-ranking artistic talent. This can be considered a unique work of art rewarding to any new reader finding his way to it." Kenneth J. Northcott, the University of Chicago, who has taught in the German department and translated many works of German masters, translation by German American Chamber of Commerce Renate Princess zu Windisch-Graetz, Generalkonsulat der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, in her letter of honor to R.H. Crane for R.H. Crane's Crossed Silver: Poems in Poetry, Drawing, and Geometry, writes, "It is indeed a unique book, a new approach and fascinating concept. Who would ever dream of combining geometric drawings and poetry, especially in such harmony."