Figure Praying 1917

This is Max Pechstein’s ‘Figure Praying’, a woodcut, and it’s all about process. Just look at the way he carved the wood to make this image. You can see how he’s let the tool do the talking. There’s a real physicality to this print - like he’s wrestling with the material. See the lines on the figure’s torso? How they curve and bend, following the form but also creating this almost hypnotic rhythm? And then those bold, graphic lines that make up the face, so expressive! I love the contrast between the dark, solid shapes and the raw, almost scratchy lines. It’s like he’s not trying to hide the work, but instead, showing us every step of the way. It makes me think of other German Expressionists, like Heckel, who were pushing the boundaries of printmaking. It's like a conversation between artists, across time, always challenging what art can be. And that’s what makes it so exciting!