Deliberation (Beratung) 1913

This compelling woodcut, Deliberation by Christian Rohlfs, feels like a conversation etched in stark blacks and whites, where the process is as visible as the figures themselves. Rohlfs isn't hiding the cuts; each line is a decision, a thought given form. The texture of the wood asserts itself, creating a palpable presence. Look at the way the faces emerge from the ground, defined by sharp, almost violent cuts. It’s like he’s wrestling the image from the wood, a tactile and physical struggle that mirrors the intensity of the discussion. The hands, particularly, are so expressive, conveying the weight of the 'Beratung' – the deliberation. It reminds me a bit of Kirchner’s woodcuts, that same raw energy and willingness to leave the marks exposed. Ultimately, art is about seeing, thinking, and feeling—it’s not about fixed meanings, but about opening up spaces for different interpretations.