Xmas New Year 1926 - 1927

C. Bertram Hartman made this woodcut print titled Xmas New Year around 1926 or '27. Look at the way he's used the black ink, it’s so graphic and confident, like a bold stroke of charcoal. What I love about woodcuts is the texture, you can almost feel the grain of the wood underneath the image. It's as if the wood itself is part of the picture. Notice the jagged edges, the sharp contrasts, each line tells a story, carved into the surface with intention. The buildings, the figures, all rendered in stark, almost brutal simplicity. It reminds me of some of the German Expressionists, like Kirchner, but with a distinctly American flavor. It's raw, it's honest, it's a little bit rough around the edges, and that's what makes it so compelling. It's like a visual shout, a celebration of the New Year in all its chaotic glory.