Rabbi Reading 1919 - 1920

Max Weber made this woodcut, Rabbi Reading, sometime in the first half of the 20th century. I love the way Weber uses earth tones in this print. There's a real feeling of intimacy, like we're catching him in a private moment of reflection. The texture of the wood is also a big part of the story. You can almost feel the grain, and see the marks of the cutting tool. The way he's rendered the hands holding the book, it's chunky and simplified, but so expressive. I mean, those hands could be anyone’s hands, right? It reminds me of some of the early 20th-century German Expressionist woodcuts, like Heckel or Kirchner. It’s that same interest in capturing the raw energy of life, not getting bogged down in fussy details. For Weber, like those guys, the medium itself is part of the message.