Seated Figure 1936

Max Weber made this tiny woodcut, "Seated Figure," sometime in his life, using a block of wood and some ink. The brown ink on this piece gives it a warm, aged feeling, like an old photograph found in an attic. The figure is constructed with straight lines and angles. It’s like Weber is trying to capture the essence of form with the fewest marks possible. See how the lines create a sense of depth and texture, especially in the figure's clothing and the geometric patterns surrounding it? That bold triangle, which could be an eye, or a hat, or maybe nothing at all, anchors the whole composition. It’s a bit unsettling, but also really compelling. It reminds me of Picasso or Braque, who were also breaking down figures into geometric forms around the same time. Weber’s work is a reminder that art is about exploration, about finding new ways to see and represent the world. It's a conversation across time, each artist building on the ideas of those who came before.