Raadhuistoren 1913

Huib Luns’ ‘Raadhuistoren,’ a woodcut print, probably from 1913, is all about contrasts. I imagine him, Huib, in his studio carefully carving away at the block, each groove and line a deliberate act, shaping the tower’s form with resolute confidence. The image emerges from stark contrasts between black and white, the intense light, and dramatic shadows. You can almost feel the weight of the tower, rising defiantly against the sky. I wonder if he felt a kinship with the builders of the tower, each adding a layer to the structure over time. I feel sure Luns was drawn to its height, aspiring perhaps to his own creative heights. It feels like he is looking back to the German Expressionists of the time, or even further back to the medieval woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer. This piece is part of an ongoing conversation between artists, each inspiring and challenging the other.