Return of the Prodigal Son 1916

This is Christian Rohlfs’ woodcut, Return of the Prodigal Son. With stark contrasts and expressive lines, it's like he’s carving emotion directly into the wood. It’s like a raw, immediate kind of seeing and feeling. Look at the texture—the way the black ink clumps and bleeds, creating depth and shadow. The lines are thick and uneven, especially around the father’s beard. It feels almost frantic, as if Rohlfs was trying to capture the intensity of the moment. See how the background swirls, drawing you in and making the figures stand out? It's like the whole world is swirling around them, focusing on this emotional reunion. Rohlfs was part of a generation that embraced bold expression. You can see echoes of Munch in his work, but with a uniquely personal touch. It’s a reminder that art is always in conversation, each artist building on what came before, adding their own voice to the mix.