Winter c. 1926

Johannes Frederik Engelbert ten Klooster made this piece, called Winter, using woodcut. It’s all blacks and whites and greys, with the starkness of the monochrome adding to the feeling of cold and stillness. Ten Klooster clearly relished the process of carving away at the wood. You can almost feel the pressure of the blade as it cuts through the grain. See how the dark, horizontal bands of the sky contrast with the delicate, feathery lines of the bird's plumage? It’s a really nice balance of textures. My eyes keep coming back to the bird, lying there so still and vulnerable; the rigid mark-making of its legs giving me the chills. This print reminds me of the German Expressionist woodcuts, like those of Kirchner. Both artists use the medium's graphic qualities to convey intense emotion. But while the Expressionists often aimed for shock, ten Klooster seems to be after something quieter, more melancholic. Art's like a conversation, right? Always responding, always evolving.