Bloemen in een kruik 1925

M.A. van Dugteren made "Bloemen in een kruik" using linocut, a form of printmaking. I imagine the artist carefully cutting away at the linoleum, each deliberate gouge revealing the image. What do you think Van Dugteren was thinking about? The linocut is like a dance between control and chance. I find myself wondering how much of the final print was planned and how much emerged through the process of carving? The stark contrast between the black and white creates a bold graphic quality. Each line feels so confident and assured! It's a great demonstration of how an artist can create depth and texture with such limited means. When I see linocuts, I feel like I am in communion with all printmakers, past and present, working away at their blocks, each influencing the other across time.