Abstracte compositie 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this woodcut, Abstracte compositie, with just black and white, which makes the shapes jump out at you. The contrast is super strong. For me, that kind of restriction can be so freeing, right? You have to commit to each mark. Look at how Stolk uses these simple shapes to create depth and movement. The black shapes aren't just filling space; they're pushing and pulling against the white. It's like a visual dance. I love the area in the upper left corner where the white zig-zags give way to solid black, like a change in tempo. It gives the whole image this feeling of controlled chaos. This reminds me of the work of Franz Kline, who also used bold black and white gestures to create powerful abstract compositions. Both artists show how much you can say with so little. It’s a good reminder that art is often about suggestion and possibility.