Geboorte van Venus 1924

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst’s "Birth of Venus" captures the goddess emerging from the sea in muted greens and blues. I imagine the artist carefully carving each line into the woodblock. There’s a controlled energy, a meditative process of revealing the image bit by bit. I sympathize with the artist, trying to capture something as elusive as beauty and divine birth. What were they thinking as they carved the waves, that swirl around Venus? How do you even begin to represent something so mythical? The texture of the waves, the way they curl and break, reminds me of Hokusai. The slightly awkward, stylized figure of Venus, feels both modern and ancient. Holst uses a limited palette, but it works. The contrast between the figure and the watery background creates a sense of depth and mystery. It’s a reminder that artists are always in conversation with each other, borrowing, riffing, and reimagining.