Assepoester 1929

Fré Cohen made this woodcut, Assepoester, and it's all about stark contrasts and storytelling. Imagine Cohen, carving away at the wood, each slice defining shapes and shadows. It's a scene straight out of a fairy tale: Cinderella hunched over her chores, the witch looming in the background, all rendered in bold black and white. I wonder what Cohen was thinking about when she made this? Was she drawn to the darkness, the stark drama of the story? The act of carving itself seems like a metaphor for the story, cutting away to reveal the hidden narrative, the suppressed emotion. This piece, with its graphic punch, reminds me a little of Käthe Kollwitz’s prints, with their raw, emotional power. It shows how artists across time are always borrowing, remixing, and riffing off each other’s energy, pushing art forward. It makes you think about how we all, artists and viewers, bring our own stories and perspectives.