Zonnebloem 1923

Curator: Let's turn our attention to this intriguing print, "Zonnebloem," which translates to "Sunflower," created in 1923 by Meijer Bleekrode and held at the Rijksmuseum. It's a woodcut, which is evident in the stark contrast and graphic quality. Editor: Wow, okay. Immediately I'm drawn to the sort of melancholic droop of the sunflower. It's like it’s sighing under the weight of some unspoken drama. Gives you that late summer, end-of-season vibe, doesn’t it? Curator: It absolutely captures that feeling. Expressionist techniques were quite prominent in Dutch art circles at that time. The raw energy that emerges in this woodcut suggests Bleekrode adopted certain approaches to capture his own inner experience onto this organic still-life motif. There are elements that feel slightly caricatured, exaggerating the sunflower's posture and features, adding to that mood. Editor: Caricature! Yes! The head of the drooping flower is practically nose-diving. And there's a loneliness too. The light kind of feels trapped within those thick, carved lines, with not much air for these flora to breathe. I can see the appeal, I mean the boldness of the cuts is invigorating, a sort of controlled aggression, isn't it? It's strangely beautiful but also uncomfortable to look at. Curator: Indeed. And it’s interesting to consider this work in light of post-World War I Europe. While the overt symbolism of sunflowers often includes adoration or longevity, Bleekrode might be engaging in the period’s prevalent feelings of anxiety or impermanence in society after devastating social events, hence the expressionistic distortion. Artworks acquired specific messages according to how its viewership responds within given historical and institutional frameworks. Editor: Maybe… or maybe the man just really, REALLY wanted to emphasize how damn heavy those sunflower heads get near the end of their bloom! But that is true that this image possesses this feeling of coming to an end... Makes you want to cut it down, dry the seeds, start all over next spring. Find the renewal that the flower lacks. Curator: I find this print’s conversation between expressive and structural representation quite compelling. And the interplay of light and shadow really heightens this sense of drama. I keep wondering what exactly was going on in Dutch cultural life when he decided to picture a tired flower through an uncanny Expressionistic depiction. Editor: I hear you. For me it's about feeling. A gut reaction of both appreciation and unease. It definitely wouldn't be a sunflower I would want to have on a happy summer poster! It really speaks to this certain state of vulnerability through a very stylized lens.