Adam and Eve 1919

Lovis Corinth made this raw, striking woodcut, "Adam and Eve," with a bold use of black and white. The figures aren’t delicate; they’re carved out with rough, almost violent marks. This is art as a direct, physical act, not some refined illusion. Look at how the light is created not with shading, but with stark white gashes. The texture is everything here – the way the wood resists the blade, leaving these jagged edges. The whole composition seems to push and pull, a dance of dark versus light. The density of the black ink against the bare paper makes the image jump out at you. It reminds me a bit of some of the German Expressionists, like Kirchner, who were also grappling with primal themes in a similarly raw way. It's a reminder that art doesn't have to be pretty to be powerful; sometimes the most affecting works are the ones that feel like they've been wrestled into existence.