Valk op een tak 1896 - 1944

This is a print of a bird by Emilius Wilhelmus Dehé, and I just love the grittiness of it. It's like the bird itself is made of rough, dark matter! I can imagine Dehé working on the plate, digging into the metal to create these textures. What was he thinking about as he etched? Was he trying to capture the bird’s sharp gaze, or the softness of its feathers? Look at the dark, enveloping background; it feels as if the bird is emerging from the shadows. There's something so immediate about printmaking, it lets the artist be so present in the moment, just like when I paint. I can feel Dehé’s hand in this, his effort to make this bird come alive through line and tone. It makes me think of other artists who've been inspired by the natural world – it’s all one big conversation, isn't it?