Konijn 1896 - 1931

Emilius Wilhelmus Dehé made this print of a rabbit, its date unspecified, using the technique of woodcut. Dehé was working in a tradition that goes back centuries, and his choice of wood as a medium is interesting. Though historically central to printmaking, by the 20th century, other techniques like etching and lithography were more common for artists. The relatively crude, blocky quality of a woodcut had come to seem almost archaic. But for an artist interested in directly engaging with the material, wood is a great choice. Look closely, and you can see how Dehé used the grain of the wood to create a sense of texture in the rabbit's fur and the woven basket. The image is stark and simple, yet full of subtle detail. By embracing the inherent qualities of the wood and the directness of the carving process, Dehé created a work that invites us to appreciate the beauty of both the subject matter and the means of its making. It reminds us that craft can be just as expressive as any other art form.