Ara before 1926

This striking woodcut of a parrot was made by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita. Can you imagine the artist working on this? De Mesquita probably started with a block of wood, carefully carving away to leave this bold image. The high-contrast design is amazing! The parrot's head is framed by a radiating halo of lines, almost like a crown. The stark black and white is so graphic, yet there's such a tender feeling coming from this imposing bird. Look at how the artist has described the features, especially those eyes. De Mesquita has caught the watchful essence of this creature. It reminds me of the work of other printmakers, like MC Escher, who explored symmetry and geometric patterns. Artists are always riffing off each other, whether they know it or not. It's all about pushing the boundaries of what's possible, isn't it?