Boerderij in de sneeuw 1918

Julie de Graag made this woodcut, Boerderij in de sneeuw, or Farm in the Snow, in 1918, and there's something so satisfying about how she's worked with the black ink to build up the image. I mean, look at the trees; each one is a collection of lines, almost like she's drawing with a very fine pen. It’s all about the process; you can see how the image comes together, layer by layer. The contrast between the dark, bare trees and the snow-covered roof creates such a stark, wintery mood. It’s not just a picture, it’s an experience of being there, in that quiet, frozen landscape. The way she’s carved the wood gives the print a tactile quality, almost like you can feel the grain. It reminds me a little of woodcuts by artists like Edvard Munch, but with a quieter, more intimate feel. What I love most is the ambiguity, it's all about feeling your way through the process. There is no fixed meaning, more a conversation that keeps unfolding.