Rotskust bij Santa Margherita Ligure 1926

Bernard Essers made this black ink woodcut of a rocky coast near Santa Margherita Ligure. Can you imagine his focus, the pressure of his hand as he carefully carved away at the wood block? Look at the composition, the contrast between the solid, dark forms of the trees and the jagged cliffs against the white space. I love the way the waves become like teeth, and how the tiny figures in their boats bravely face the elements. Essers really captures the drama and power of nature here, in a way that reminds me of some of the Japanese printmakers. I wonder what Essers was thinking about when he made this print. Maybe he felt a connection to the fishermen out in the wild sea? Or a sense of awe at the might of the ocean? Whatever it was, he translated it into a beautiful graphic language, using crisp lines to convey the feeling of a specific place and time. It's all connected, isn't it? We artists, borrowing from each other, across centuries.