Boerderij van Dooijewaard te Blaricum 1916 - 1947

Curator: The “Boerderij van Dooijewaard te Blaricum,” created between 1916 and 1947 by Emilius Wilhelmus Dehé, presents us with a fascinating example of realistic landscape rendered through the medium of woodcut. Editor: My initial reaction is one of stark beauty; it feels incredibly raw. The texture just screams materiality; it's all about the marks left by the cutting tool. The high contrast imbues this image with a palpable stillness, almost meditative in quality. Curator: The monochrome palette lends a timeless quality, a visual connection to traditions where symbolism operates through absence as much as presence. Farmhouses are recurrent motifs representing stability, a return to origins, and even shelter within the collective consciousness. Notice also the placement of the house within the stand of bare trees; nature overtakes artifice and becomes one with it. Editor: Absolutely. Structurally, you see that the composition divides itself almost perfectly into the earthly plane of the field below and the evocative upper realm of the trees against what may be night. This generates a clear distinction between foreground and background that highlights the depth of field within a medium known for flattening space. It emphasizes its structural severity, making one hyper aware of formalist elements within Dehé's landscape. Curator: Considering its production period, coinciding with the two World Wars, I can't help seeing in the stark contrast of light and shadow, in the somber mood and humble subject, a reflection on resilience and endurance during those turbulent times. Farmhouses symbolized stability amid chaos, connecting viewers with more enduring values when everything was at stake. The humble subject matter also speaks to the embrace of realist aesthetics amid post-impressionist experimentation. Editor: I concur. Its form perfectly captures the essence of "home"—that foundational sense of place during a period marked by its disruption. It's truly in this tension between subject matter and historical context where its brilliance lies. Curator: An enduring piece then, its imagery resonating deeply within the cultural landscape. Editor: It is indeed an intense formal meditation, where materiality becomes meaningful.