Untitled (Girl with Bird of Paradise) 1918

Gottfried Graf made this untitled woodcut sometime around the turn of the century. The stark contrast and graphic quality of the print give it a real punch. The image is almost like a stage set, with shapes stacked on top of one another. Just look at the way the artist uses these thick, bold lines to define the shapes, it's so direct, there is nothing subtle about it. The black ink feels almost sculptural, like you could reach out and touch the raised edges. I love the way the artist contrasts the hard edges of the geometric forms with the soft curves of the figure and the organic shapes of the flowers. It’s hard to look at a woodcut like this and not think of German Expressionism, but there is something almost naive or folk-art-like about the image. It's as if Kirchner or Heckel had a baby with Henri Rousseau! Ultimately, it reminds us that art is a language constantly being reinvented and reimagined.