Papoesche c. 1925

Ten Klooster made this woodcut called 'Papoesche' at some point in his career. Can you imagine the laborious process of carving away at the wood block to create the image? I'm thinking about the artist standing there, tools in hand, carefully chipping away, following the lines of the drawing. Those bold, stark lines! It makes me think of the German Expressionists, those guys were all about raw emotion and simplified forms. The figure in the boat is rendered so strong, but there’s something vulnerable about her too, don't you think? She reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, a painter interested in similar themes. There’s a connection there, a conversation happening across time and space. I love the way he used black and white to create such a powerful image, with all those different textures and shades, it gives the picture a real sense of depth and complexity.