Hoofd van een vrouw 1915

This ‘Head of a Woman’ was made by Simon Moulijn; I imagine him with his knife, carefully carving away at the block to leave these strong, powerful lines. It’s such a compelling image, the woman emerging from the darks and lights of the block. I can almost feel Moulijn’s hand at work. This isn't just about representation, right? It’s about the conversation between the artist and the material, the push and pull. See how he’s used these bold, graphic lines to define the planes of her face, creating depth and shadow with such economy. And that expression – a little mysterious, a little knowing. It reminds me of Kirchner, the way he captured the tension and complexity of human emotion through such direct means. I feel Moulijn must have been looking at other printmakers, like the German Expressionists, and thinking about how to distill the essence of a face, a feeling, into its purest form. That’s what artists do, they talk to each other across time, inspiring and challenging each other. I think it’s a really beautiful thing.