Louise Michel onder baldakijn 1896 - 1935

Mathieu Lauweriks made this print, Louise Michel onder baldakijn, and immediately I’m struck by its graphic simplicity. It's all about the blacks and whites, the push and pull of contrast that makes the image pop. Looking closely, it's fascinating to think about how Lauweriks carved away at the block to create these shapes. There is something solid and certain about the central female figure, her dark silhouette is really set against the intricate geometric patterns in the background. She is calm and serene amid a busy scene. The staff on the left is inscribed with the word ‘VRYHEID’ and topped with a sun-like image. I love how the starkness of the medium creates a certain moodiness, and how you have to let the image in, bit by bit. It reminds me of some of the expressionist prints of the time, but with a more restrained, almost architectural feel. All the while it has this radical, revolutionary undercurrent that is really intoxicating.