Twee fazanten in een heuvellandschap c. 1925

Curator: Here we have Bernard Essers’s woodcut print, "Twee fazanten in een heuvellandschap", or "Two Pheasants in a Hilly Landscape", created around 1925. Editor: It feels like a study in contrasts. The dark, textured earth against that expansive sky. I’m immediately struck by how materially rich such a monochrome print can be. Curator: Yes, and consider the pheasant, a creature often linked to ideas of wealth, beauty and, more darkly, as a symbol of sacrifice, considering it's traditionally hunted. Editor: That’s fascinating, knowing this is a woodcut really underscores the labor involved in achieving these minute details. Look at the texture, almost fabric-like, especially in the landscape curves and the birds’ feathers. One wonders about the tools used, the different gauges... Curator: The geometric stylization of nature draws me in, especially those simplified trees in the distance, reminiscent of Japanese prints. There’s a quiet elegance here. Each element contributes to an almost narrative composition. The birds are heading somewhere; those hills hold untold mysteries. Editor: Agreed. You can sense a social commentary implied within its natural beauty and rich dark tones. Prints made art more accessible to a broader public, decentering the idea of ‘unique’ artwork. How did Essers see his role in relation to this democratization? Curator: Essers was invested in conveying the emotional resonance of landscape, perhaps alluding to universal archetypes or memories linked to our natural environment. Editor: Indeed, considering how this image democratized ownership. And it does raise intriguing questions about craft, art and who gets to access beauty and engage with potent cultural symbols, don't you think? Curator: A rich intersection of symbol and accessibility, materially expressed! Editor: Absolutely, making us see more, not less.