Hexe 1910

This is a woodcut print by Christian Rohlfs, called "Hexe" or "Witch," and looking at it, I can almost smell the ink. The image is so graphic, almost clunky in its bold contrast. The witch's face, her bulbous nose, and wide eyes, all speak of a raw, immediate carving. You can imagine the artist really digging into that block of wood, wrestling with the material to bring this character to life. There's a real energy in those lines. The way the background is handled, it feels like a flurry of vertical marks suggesting maybe some sort of dark, enchanted forest. It reminds me of some of the German Expressionist prints, where the artists were really pushing the boundaries of the medium to convey intense emotion. It makes me wonder if Rohlfs was trying to tap into some primal fear or superstition. Artists like him teach us new ways of seeing and make us braver in our own work.