Joseph Mendes da Costa 1908

This woodcut, Joseph Mendes da Costa, was made by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita; I'm not sure when exactly, but he was working at the beginning of the twentieth century. It's amazing how the artist captured so much with so little. Look at the way the lines define the form, especially the subject's folded arms. They're not just outlines; they suggest volume and weight through their placement and thickness. The texture of the wood grain is visible in the background, which adds a tactile quality to the print. I particularly love how the light catches the planes of his face, especially that aquiline nose. It reminds me a bit of some of the early modernist printmakers, like Félix Vallotton, who were also exploring the expressive potential of black and white. There's a kind of starkness here, but also a real intimacy. It’s like a casual conversation, full of suggestions rather than statements.