Kerst- en nieuwjaarswens voor 1948-1949 van Mansueto Fenini 1948

This Christmas and New Year's greeting card for 1948-1949, by Pietro Francovich, is a deeply carved design rendered in black and white. Looking at this print, I can imagine Francovich in his studio, meticulously carving away at the block. Each cut is so precise. It's like he's sculpting a tiny world, one mark at a time. The black ink sits heavy on the paper, giving it a tactile quality, like you could feel the history and labor in the work. The composition is so dense, crowded with figures and architectural details. There are people, animals, and buildings all jumbled together. The overall effect feels like a folk tapestry, echoing medieval woodcuts. I wonder what Francovich was thinking as he made this. Was he dreaming of peace and goodwill during those postwar years? Or was he simply trying to capture the chaos and complexity of the holiday season? Whatever his intentions, this print speaks to the universal human desire for connection and celebration.