Woman in the country 1927

Mikuláš Galanda made this woodcut, “Woman in the Country,” sometime in the early 20th century, and you can feel that folk art ethos in every mark. The stark contrast between black and white isn't just about seeing; it's about feeling the cut of the wood, the artist's hand pushing through the material. Look at the woman's dress, how the circles pop against the dark fabric. They are almost playful in their simplicity, yet they give the figure weight. Galanda's marks aren't trying to trick you into thinking this is a real place, but there is an honesty in the way that the image is presented that makes you feel connected to the scene, as if this is what the Slovakian countryside *feels* like. This reminds me of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s woodcuts, who also looked back to the folk art tradition, with the same kind of raw energy and emotional honesty.