Meerdere mensen worden publiekelijk opgehangen 1920

This small print, by Mihály Biró, shows a public hanging, made sometime in the first half of the 20th century. What strikes me most is the way the artist uses simple lines and a muted colour palette to capture such a horrific scene. It’s almost as if the muted tones soften the blow, making the horror accessible, like a grim fairy tale. The texture of the print gives it a sense of immediacy, as if the artist quickly sketched it. Look at how the crowd is rendered, a mass of faces turned upwards, each with a simple mark to indicate their presence, their gaze. It's in these small marks that the power of the piece resides, a stark reminder of the power of art to convey complex emotions with minimal means. The light blue in the background is reminiscent of Käthe Kollwitz's prints, sharing a similar commitment to social commentary and emotional depth through printmaking.