Twee paddenstoelen 1887 - 1924

This is Julie de Graag's print of two mushrooms, created with woodcut, and it feels so intuitive. The approach to the mark-making is what grabs me; each line seems placed with care, inviting you to consider the process. Looking closely, you can see how the physical qualities of the medium shape your emotional experience. The brown ink, dense yet translucent, gives a warm, earthy feel. The surface isn't smooth; it has a tactile quality. The lines are crisp, yet the overall effect is soft. Notice the individual lines on the mushroom caps. They aren’t perfectly uniform. Each one is slightly different, like individual brushstrokes, giving the mushrooms character. This reminds me a little of the woodcuts of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. There's something wonderfully ambiguous about this piece. It's open to interpretation, like all good art should be.