Moeder en kind 1895

Karel Petrus Cornelis de Bazel created this print, “Moeder en kind”, using woodcut techniques. The graphic quality of the woodcut is quite evident. The artist would have used specialized knives and gouges to carve an image into a block of wood. The remaining raised surface would then be inked and pressed onto paper, leaving this striking image. Notice the texture and the sharp contrast between the dark and light areas, this is characteristic of the medium. The process is relatively simple, yet demands great skill, labor, and precision. Woodcut is an old technique, but De Bazel, working at the turn of the century, was interested in the style for its graphic impact. This was also a period of renewed interest in the crafts, during a time of increasing industrialization, perhaps as a response to the perceived alienation of mass production. It is through understanding these materials, making processes, and their social context that we can fully understand the artistic intention and challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.