Daphnis leidt zijn geiten terug naar de stal 1937

Aristide Maillol made this small woodcut, of Daphnis leading his goats back to the barn, and it feels like an intimate sketch, a tiny peep into a pastoral scene. I imagine Maillol hunched over a block of wood, carefully carving away at the surface, each cut a decisive gesture. The composition is both simple and dense, with the figures of the boy and goats woven into the trees creating an all-over pattern. There’s something charming about the naivety of the line work; you can sense the artist’s hand in the slightly irregular marks. I feel like the roughness is the point. This print reminds me of other artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker, who were also looking back to archaic forms for inspiration. It feels like Maillol is searching for something elemental in this scene of man and nature, a timeless connection that transcends academic skill. These artists share an exchange of ideas, inspiring creativity across time. The beauty lies in its imperfections.