Pauwies 1926

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita made this woodcut, called Pauwies, on paper. I can almost feel the artist chipping away at the wood, carefully carving out the bird's plumage. See how each line seems to vibrate with a life of its own? It's like the artist is channeling the bird's very essence through these marks. I bet he was looking at earlier graphic artists like Durer, but he’s also doing his own thing, making it modern! The texture is so present. When I look at the bird, I can feel every groove and ridge, every contour of its form. It reminds me that painting, and in this case printmaking, is about more than just depicting an image – it's about engaging with the physicality of the world, transforming materials into something new. It's a conversation across time, with Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita participating in something bigger than himself.