Gargantua: Chapter XVII 1942

Bernard Reder made this black and white woodcut, Gargantua: Chapter XVII, maybe mid-20th century, and it’s got a real old-school, graphic punch. It feels like Reder just went for it, carving with gusto, letting the stark contrast do the talking. Looking closely, you can see the artist’s hand at work. The lines are thick and expressive, digging deep into the wood. Notice the frantic energy of the figures in the water, the way they're defined by these choppy marks, conveying motion. Then there are those arches in the background, carved with such detail – a mix of order and chaos. See how the white space around the giant clinging to the tree creates a sense of drama? This reminds me a bit of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who wasn't afraid to get gritty with her prints. Like her work, Reder's print isn’t about perfection. It’s about feeling, about capturing a moment of pandemonium with raw intensity.