Portret van Florentinus Marinus Wibaut 1929

Meijer Bleekrode made this portrait of Florentinus Marinus Wibaut in 1929, probably using a linocut or woodcut technique; you can really feel the artist digging into the block. It’s all about the contrast of black and white, and that really impacts how we see the subject, don't you think? The thing that grabs me is the face, it’s so intense and full of character, and the way the artist uses these bold lines to carve out the features. I keep looking at the lines around the eye. The deep lines seem to tell a story of experience. It reminds me a little of some of the German Expressionist prints, like Käthe Kollwitz, where the medium itself becomes part of the emotional message. It’s not just about likeness, it’s about expression, and the conversation art has across time. It’s like they’re all talking to each other, these artists, across decades, through the language of marks and materials.