Ara 1921

In this 1921 print, Julie de Graag presents us with 'Ara', a study in contrasts and geometric form. The stark black ink against the paper creates a powerful visual tension, drawing the eye to the parrot’s stylized figure. The composition is strikingly simple: a vertical rectangle frames the bird perched on a horizontal bar. De Graag reduces the parrot to its essential shapes, playing with positive and negative space to define its contours. The long tail feathers are rendered as a series of tapering lines, creating a sense of elegant elongation. This use of line and form echoes the principles of the De Stijl movement, emphasizing abstraction and a reduction to basic elements. Yet, within this minimalist framework, there's a tension between representation and abstraction. The parrot is recognizable, but also deconstructed, prompting questions about how we perceive form and meaning. This delicate balance invites us to consider how the artist uses simplification to intensify our focus, challenging fixed notions of representation.