Gezicht op huizen tussen bomen door 1919

Frits van den Berge made this woodcut print, "View of Houses Through Trees," with ink on paper. Look closely at the way the dark ink sits on the page. See how the artist used the stark contrast of black and white to suggest depth and form? It's like a dance between what's there and what's not. The dark, blocky shapes of the trees frame a glimpse of the houses beyond, creating a layered effect. The artist leaves a lot to our imagination, doesn’t he? Notice how the marks aren't trying to be realistic, but instead convey a feeling of the scene. The scratchy, almost frenetic lines in the foreground give a sense of movement, like the wind rustling through leaves. It reminds me of the early German Expressionists, like Kirchner, who used woodcuts to capture raw emotion. It's this kind of expressive mark-making that makes the print so engaging. It’s not just a picture of a place; it's a record of a moment, a feeling, and a way of seeing the world.