Dahlia 1920

This is ‘Dahlia’, a woodcut made by Julie de Graag in 1909. The stark contrast of black ink on paper gives it this bold, graphic quality, a striking way to capture a flower. Looking closely, you can almost feel the give and take of the knife against the woodblock. It’s a process that demands both precision and a willingness to let the material have its say. The Dahlia is so delicately carved from the wood. See how the petals emerge from the dark background, each line carefully considered. This reminds me of how a drawing can be a physical process of working into the unknown. De Graag’s simplified forms and strong contrasts remind me of other printmakers like, say, Edvard Munch. Like Munch, de Graag embraced ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the work. What do you see here? What does it make you feel?