Vee bij de kust 1924

Jo Bezaan made this woodcut, "Cows by the Coast," sometime around 1929. Look at the textures she's carved into the wood block: horizontal lines for the sea, short choppy marks for the distant land, and then these big shapes that make up the cows. There's a real physicality to this print. You can almost feel the pressure of the tool as it cuts through the wood, how it leaves a kind of bold rawness. The cows themselves are so solid and present. The stark contrast and the simplification of forms give a sense of monumental importance. It reminds me a bit of Emil Nolde's woodcuts, with their strong lines and raw emotion. But Bezaan has her own distinctive voice, a way of seeing the world that's both grounded and full of wonder. Art's just one big conversation between different artists, a way of echoing each other across time.