Spakenburg 1904 - 1942

This is "Spakenburg", a woodcut by Jo Bezaan. I'm drawn to the way she uses line and color to flatten the space, pushing the background forward. It's like she's inviting us into a world where perspective is optional. Check out the texture in this print. The grain of the wood is super evident, adding a tactile quality to the image, you can almost feel the artist's hand carving the design. The colors too, are muted and earthy, giving the piece a kind of folk-art vibe, like it's been pulled from the pages of a storybook. Look at the figure's hands, clasped together, they're so carefully rendered, and they draw your eye to the center of the composition. It’s interesting to see how Bezaan balances the decorative patterns of the clothing with the solid forms of the architecture, creating a sense of harmony between figure and ground. There is something in the graphic style that reminds me of the German Expressionists. Like them, she embraces distortion and simplification to amplify the emotional impact. Ultimately, this is a piece that celebrates the beauty of imperfection and the power of art to transport us to other worlds.