't Vredejaar 1919

Editor: This print, titled ''t Vredejaar," or "The Year of Peace," was created in 1919 by Bernard Willem Wierink, who worked primarily in graphic arts. I’m immediately struck by the doves surrounding the tower—they create such a feeling of hope. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, yes. Isn't it interesting how Wierink captures the collective exhale after World War I? The tower almost becomes a monument, a solid, grounded form amidst the swirling uncertainty, almost vibrating with hope for the future. But do you notice the flag? It seems to celebrate national pride even when set against this idea of global peace. A gentle dance between celebration and contemplation, wouldn't you agree? Editor: That's a good point. I hadn’t considered the possible tension between the tower and the flag. With them, it makes the print far more complex. Is that a city tower that we're seeing in the middle, or perhaps a more symbolic shape? Curator: Good eye! It could be both, or either. Perhaps Wierink is speaking of any city as a sign for humankind’s renewal or perseverance. The woodcut style, so clean and yet with its own distinct character, adds to this feeling. What is also noteworthy is how those doves, in their swirling ascent, transform from the graphic style of war art into almost dreamlike angels. Editor: I like that thought: of graphic images being transformed by peace into almost dreamy hopes and symbols. I'll definitely look at this kind of graphic art with new eyes from now on! Curator: Exactly! Isn’t it fascinating how an image made with the clean, often brutal style of a woodcut can hold so much possibility and reflection? Art opens your eyes, doesn’t it?