Ruhende Zigeuner 1918

Maria Uhden made this woodcut called "Resting Gypsies" with a graphic punch. The choice to limit the palette to black and white emphasizes the play of positive and negative space, turning it into a high-contrast dance. Look at how the white crescent moon and stars pop against the black sky! The whole scene feels like it's been carved out with deliberate, chunky strokes. The lines are bold, almost aggressive, but they create a sense of solidity and weight. Notice the textures on the horse, made up of lots of little lines. It almost looks like fabric. The horse in the foreground feels like a big cushion for the resting family. The German Expressionists come to mind, like Kirchner, who were also pushing boundaries with woodcuts. But Uhden brings her own distinct voice to the medium, using the stark contrast and simplified forms to tap into something primal and emotional. In the end, it reminds us that art isn’t about perfection, it’s about feeling.