Head of a Man 1919 - 1920

This is Max Weber's woodcut, Head of a Man. It's a small print, but it's got a lot of power. I'm thinking about Weber, carving away at the block, trying to get at something essential. The colours are simple—brown, black, blue, and purple—but they create a real mood. It's blocky, but not without feeling. Look at those eyes, all drippy and sad. What does he want? What is he thinking? It reminds me a bit of early Picasso, you know? That same interest in simplification, in getting down to the bones of a thing. Weber was part of that whole scene, trying to push painting forward. It’s like he's saying, "Let's strip it all away and see what's left." He’s not trying to make a perfect likeness. He’s trying to get at something deeper, something about what it means to be human. And that's what art is all about, isn't it?