Een ieder zijn ambacht 1894 - 1959

'Een ieder zijn ambacht' which roughly translates to 'To Each His Craft' was made at an unknown date by an artist known only as Monogrammist G.J., using a printmaking technique. The muted pastel colors in the image create a sense of stepping back in time. Look at the circular vignette in the bottom right corner, inside it we see a figure kicking another who’s holding a spear and shield. The way his leg is stretched is really interesting; it doesn’t look quite possible! The whole scene is drawn with a comic energy, and these characters seem to have been pulled from Medieval life. The figure looks a bit like a performer, but this awkward and energetic image makes me think of the work of someone like Otto Dix or Max Beckman. It’s this weird, frenetic energy and the distortion of the body. All the works of the artist is a reflection of the way we see the world. It doesn't make sense but in some way it does, right?