Boerenkop 1947

Jo Bezaan made this print called Boerenkop in 1947. It's all inky blacks and grays, a study in somber tones. I can imagine Bezaan working on this, pressing the plate, pulling the print, seeing the image emerge like a shadowy figure. The face is so full of character, almost carved into the paper, and so expressive despite the limited palette. The eyes, they really get you, don’t they? They have this look of quiet knowing, as if they've seen a thing or two. It's fascinating to consider how Bezaan built up the image with layers of ink, how the textures create depth and mood. It reminds me of other artists who were exploring similar terrain, like Käthe Kollwitz, who also used printmaking to capture the human condition. There’s a certain kinship there, a shared understanding of what it means to be human, rendered in stark, graphic terms. Ultimately, it's like artists are always having this big conversation across time, influencing each other, riffing on the same themes, and pushing the boundaries of what art can do.