Witnekkraanvogel 1927

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita made this black and white woodcut, "Witnekkraanvogel," now at the Rijksmuseum, using simple graphic means to render a crane-like bird standing in water. The contrast between the black and white areas creates bold shapes, and if you look closely at the body of the bird, you'll see it's covered in fine, almost hair-like lines. These marks give the crane a sense of texture and form, without relying on color or shading. Below, the water is represented by more lines, these ones horizontal, and a little bit wavy. What I love about woodcuts is how you can really see the hand of the artist in every cut, scratch, and mark. The physical work of carving becomes part of the image itself. I wonder if de Mesquita had Japanese prints in mind when he made this. Either way, it feels so fresh. The image hangs suspended in the space between representation and abstraction.