Portret van Geertje Kuijer 1916

Julie de Graag created this woodcut portrait of Geertje Kuijer around 1916. The stark contrast between black ink and the off-white paper immediately draws the eye, creating a bold and graphic image. De Graag's use of densely packed, linear strokes gives the portrait a palpable texture, almost as if we could feel the rough fabric of Kuijer's shawl and the delicate wrinkles of her face. Consider how De Graag manipulates light and shadow through these graphic lines, creating a depth that speaks to the character of the sitter. The lines don’t just depict form, they seem to carve out the very essence of Kuijer’s presence, destabilizing traditional portraiture norms by focusing on the abstract quality of the lines over naturalistic representation. The geometric abstraction here moves beyond mere representation, it delves into the structural underpinnings of identity and form. It invites us to reconsider how we perceive not just the subject, but the very act of seeing.