Illustratie voor Xenophon's 'Anabasis' 1920

Johannes Frederik Engelbert ten Klooster made this illustration for Xenophon's 'Anabasis' using stark black ink, carving out the negative space to define the forms. It's all about the push and pull of dark and light. You can almost feel the artist digging into the block, making decisive cuts. Imagine him, wrestling with the image, trying to capture the epic journey of Xenophon’s army through line and form. What was he thinking, what was he feeling? Look at how the sharp, angular lines create a sense of drama and movement. The procession winds its way through the landscape, each figure rendered with bold, graphic simplicity. There's a raw energy in the composition, a kind of visual shorthand that distills the essence of the story. It reminds me of other graphic artists and printmakers who use the medium to convey powerful, immediate messages. Art is like this ongoing conversation, where artists borrow, steal, and build upon each other’s ideas. Each mark contains the artist's intention but also leaves room for us to bring our own experiences and interpretations.