Ex libris van onbekend 1921

N. Santigiuliana made this bookplate in 1921, probably using a woodcut or linocut technique. There’s this powerful, graphic quality to it, almost like a stencil. Imagine the artist carefully carving away at the block, defining the monk’s robe, his stance, and the little building in the background, all with such deliberate, bold moves. You can almost feel the pressure of the hand and the resistance of the material. What were they thinking? Look how the dark red ink fills the space, yet it’s the untouched, bare paper that really gives shape to the image. The texture feels both ancient and immediate. What I really love is how this piece speaks to a larger conversation in art history—connecting to the woodcuts of the German Expressionists but also nodding to folk art traditions. It makes me think about Paula Modersohn-Becker and her woodcut prints. I see artists in an ongoing conversation with one another, each adding their own unique voice.