Biddende boer 1924

Jo Bezaan made this woodcut of a praying farmer sometime in the early 20th century. I’m trying to imagine the labor of cutting away at that wood, guided by the drawing underneath. It’s a real dance between control and accident, isn’t it? In the print, the farmer’s hands are holding a big black sphere and his face looks like a landscape of worry, all sharp angles and deep shadows. I feel like I can almost hear his thoughts, the earth, the crops, the hope for a good harvest, all wrapped up in that single moment. Maybe the sphere is the sun? Or is it the literal weight of his prayers? I see echoes of artists like Kollwitz in Bezaan’s work, that same commitment to showing the tough realities of life. Artists are always looking at each other, aren’t they? Taking notes, riffing, answering questions, creating more. It's a never-ending conversation. And it’s nice to be reminded that painting can be a form of not knowing, where questions hang in the air, unanswered and open.