Fantasie: man en vrouw 1929

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita created this woodcut, "Fantasie: man en vrouw," its date unknown, using stark contrasts of black and white to capture an intimate exchange between a man and a woman. Mesquita, a Portuguese-Jewish artist, was later murdered in Auschwitz. Knowing this we see the figures, set against a dark background, rendered with a deep sense of humanity and perhaps, vulnerability. The lines etched into the wood give them a texture that speaks to the harshness of life, yet their faces, lined with age and experience, suggest resilience. The woman's head covering and the man's cap speak to cultural identities, hinting at stories of faith, tradition, and perhaps displacement. The intensity of their gaze and the subtle gesture of her hands hint at a deep, unspoken dialogue. The choice of woodcut, with its graphic simplicity, intensifies the emotional weight of the piece. It reminds us of the power of art to bear witness, to preserve memory, and to honor the complexities of human relationships against a backdrop of cultural and personal history.