Sterrenbeeld waterman 1880 - 1946

Curator: Henri van der Stok created this linocut print, titled "Sterrenbeeld waterman", sometime between 1880 and 1946. Editor: My first impression is how striking the high contrast between black and white is. It's so graphic and stylized, almost like a woodcut. I'm drawn to the bold simplicity. Curator: It's certainly impactful. The figure of Aquarius, the water bearer, stands out against a celestial backdrop filled with stars and what appears to be a moon. He’s a rather serene, stylized figure. The Art Nouveau influence is really clear in the flowing lines. Editor: Absolutely, that emphasis on line really lends itself well to linocut, where you're essentially carving away material. What kind of tools do you think van der Stok used to achieve such clean cuts, and where would he have sourced the linoleum itself during that period? We rarely think about the industrial supply chains that enabled this type of production. Curator: Good question. Linocut's rise certainly mirrors broader shifts in industry. The water being poured, from what seems a highly crafted vessel, signifies the flow of knowledge and life-giving energy. Consider the figure’s downward gaze— a meditative pose, reflecting the inner life and introspective qualities associated with Aquarius. Editor: And look at the depiction of the water itself. Instead of a free flowing pour, we see a strict rectangular line—almost like a rigid building facade has simply upended. It’s really disrupting to see water reduced to such controlled artifice in contrast to the night scene above. Curator: Right, there’s tension, definitely a commentary on the constructed, sometimes even fabricated, aspects of our beliefs around astrology, and our place within that symbolic structure. Editor: Ultimately, I think what stands out here is how a very reproducible medium like linocut still bears the marks of the maker's hand, the social and material realities. Each print slightly different and now holding this long, almost century-long connection to both artist and astrology patrons. Curator: I agree. This image serves as a visual poem, almost, reminding us of how signs, symbols, and archetypes shape our perception. Van der Stok provides us with much to contemplate through this visually bold composition.