Zwemmende eend 1923 - 1924

Julie de Graag created this delightful print of a swimming duck using woodcut, a technique that involves carving into a block of wood, inking the surface, and pressing it onto paper. You know, when I look at this little duck, I can almost feel Julie's hand guiding the knife, carefully removing slivers of wood to reveal the creature. What do you think she was thinking as she carved away, letting that duck emerge from the block? Was she thinking of a specific duck? Or maybe just the idea of duckness? I love the way she reduced the form to its essence: a simple outline, a few essential details. It's like she's captured the very spirit of the duck, bobbing along, enjoying the water. And those clean lines, that contrast between light and dark – it's such a bold statement. It reminds me of the work of other printmakers, like M.C. Escher, who used similar techniques to create mind-bending images. Artists are always talking to each other across time! It's as though they're all part of one big, never-ending conversation.