Zonnebloem 1914

This is Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita’s woodcut, *Zonnebloem*, which translates to sunflower in English, made with simple tools of knife and wood. It’s pretty striking how he lets the black and white do all the work. The way he's carved the wood lets the sunflower really pop, with these sharp, almost frantic lines creating the petals. It feels alive, like the flower is actually reaching out. The vase is smooth and bulbous, reflecting the light from a nearby window. I love how everything is reduced to these essential shapes and lines. There's a real sense of movement and energy in the way he’s handled the material. It reminds me of some of Emil Nolde’s flower paintings, with their raw, expressive brushwork. But here, it’s all carved out of wood, so the boldness is really something else. You know, art isn’t about perfection. It’s about seeing, feeling, and making something that speaks.