Iris 1884 - 1952

Reinier Willem Petrus de Vries created this black and white woodcut of an Iris, and the date is unknown. De Vries was a Dutch artist working at the turn of the century in a period marked by significant social and political upheaval. This image captures the essence of Art Nouveau, with its sinuous lines and focus on the natural world. But what does it mean to represent nature in such a stylized, almost abstracted manner? The iris, a flower often associated with royalty and deep emotion, appears here in stark contrast. The black and white palette strips away the color, forcing us to focus on form and structure. Is de Vries perhaps commenting on the fleeting nature of beauty, or the tension between the ideal and the real? The print invites a dialogue between the beauty of nature and the human desire to capture and understand it. It leaves us contemplating the intricate relationship between representation, emotion, and the passage of time.