The desert 1908

Konstantin Bogaevsky made this woodcut print, titled 'The Desert,' using a subtractive process, where material is carved away to leave the desired image. Woodcut is an old printing technique, a relief process where the image is printed from the raised parts of a wood block. Look at the stark contrast between the black lines and the white space; the artist would have painstakingly cut away everything that should not print, leaving behind the lines we see. The choice of material, wood, gives the print a characteristic texture. The grain can be seen in the final print, adding depth and character. The limited tonal range of the medium—just black and white—pushes the artist to be expressive, and resourceful. Woodcut has often been seen as a democratic medium, accessible to a wide range of artists, but like any creative process, the artist's skill is central. Bogaevsky had to understand the material intimately to create this expressive scene. It reminds us of the beauty that can be found in simplicity, and the skill that is required to create it.