Vrouw in Romeins gewaad 1907

This is ‘Vrouw in Romeins gewaad’, or 'Woman in Roman Dress' by Bernard Willem Wierink. Look at how the artist is using two colours here, black and ochre, and how the restricted palette gives the image its power. I love the physicality of printmaking, the way it lends itself to bold shapes and textures. In the figure’s drapery, you can see the incised lines where the artist has scraped away at the block. The ochre ink sits on top of the paper, creating a relief effect that's almost sculptural. The way the light flares out around her feels like a burst of energy, doesn't it? The composition is so striking, the two-faced figure looming in the background, the woman holding up those wreaths like an offering. It makes me think of Käthe Kollwitz, who also used printmaking to express powerful emotions. It's all about the push and pull of ideas across time, right?