Jongen en meisje met een zak 1887 - 1924

Julie de Graag created this woodcut, Jongen en meisje met een zak, which translates to ‘Boy and girl with a bag,’ using paper and ink. Woodcut is a relief printing process, where the artist carves an image into a block of wood, leaving raised areas that take ink, before pressing the block onto paper. The stark contrast between black ink and the white paper creates strong lines and shapes. De Graag likely used specialized carving tools to cut away the wood, requiring a high level of control. The texture of the wood grain may subtly appear in the print, adding depth to the otherwise flat image. The graphic nature of woodcut prints allowed for easy reproduction, aligning it with the rise of mass media and consumer culture. Looking at the work through the lens of its making, we can appreciate how Julie de Graag used the woodcut medium to convey both the tenderness and the stark realities of childhood.