Orchideeën c. 1916

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita made this print of orchids, simply titled 'Orchideeën', sometime in the early 20th Century. The stark contrast between black and white is so bold, so graphic, you know? It's all about shapes bumping up against each other, the process laid bare. Look at how the black ink lies on the paper. You can almost feel the texture, the grain of the woodblock, right? It reminds me that art isn't just about the image, but about the stuff it's made of, the decisions, the happy accidents. See that little trail of dashes leading away from the flowers? It’s like a secret code, a little flourish that tells you this isn't just a picture of a flower, it’s an idea about a flower. De Mesquita’s work has this raw, almost primal energy that reminds me of Emil Nolde. Both artists share a love for bold lines and simplified forms. And like Nolde, de Mesquita isn't afraid to leave things unresolved, to let the process be part of the story. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist, the materials, and you, the viewer.