Zittende man 1918 - 1919

This woodcut, ‘Zittende man’ (Seated Man), was made by Maurits de Groot, though the exact date is unknown. De Groot’s working with a woodcut gives the image a particular graphic quality, where dark and light create a really striking composition. I'm drawn to the textures, how the grain of the wood seems to resist the cut of the tool, creating this lively surface. Take a look at the seated man’s hands, clasped together. See how the lines aren't perfectly smooth, but have this kind of raw, almost shaky quality? It gives the figure a vulnerability, as if we’re seeing him in a moment of introspection or unease. The background, too, with its sharp angles and stark contrasts, adds to this sense of tension. De Groot’s work reminds me a little of Edvard Munch, in its psychological intensity and the way it uses expressive mark-making to convey inner states. But, unlike Munch, there’s a kind of groundedness here, a connection to the material world that keeps the image from floating off into pure abstraction. It’s a fascinating piece, full of questions and contradictions.