Artisjok 1915

This is Reijer Stolk's 'Artisjok,' a woodcut print held at the Rijksmuseum. It's incredible how Stolk coaxes so much life and movement from a single block of wood, right? The graphic quality of the medium lends itself to bold contrasts, like the way he carves out these crisp, spiky leaves against the soft, hazy background. Looking at the texture, you can almost feel the grain of the wood and imagine the artist's hand guiding the blade. See how some areas are deeply gouged, creating stark black shadows, while others are delicately etched, revealing the subtle greys in the paper. It's a real dance between positive and negative space. I am especially drawn to the upper left of the piece where some of the leaves are etched so fine that they radiate light, like a firework. Stolk’s woodcut reminds me of Emil Nolde, another artist who wasn’t afraid to wrestle with the woodblock and embrace the raw energy of the medium. It’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, a back-and-forth between artists and ideas across time.