Kaketoe 1896 - 1936

This print, *Kaketoe,* was made by Emilius Wilhelmus Dehé. Look at all those tiny hatched lines that make up the image! Can you imagine the artist carving away at the block to make this print? I’m thinking about the artist’s hand, and the way it moved, cutting into the block of wood like a dance, or maybe a fight, between control and letting go. Was the artist thinking about other prints, or other ways to capture the likeness of this parrot? Maybe they had seen some Japanese prints, or other naturalist studies. The way the lines seem to vibrate, each mark contributing to the overall energy of the image is quite special. That beak, almost looks like it has been collaged on, it's so dark. The body looks soft, and the bird's tuft, sticks straight up, like it's listening intently. It reminds me that art is always a conversation, an artist responding to the world, and to other artists, across time.