Deliberation (Beratung) 1913

Editor: Here we have Christian Rohlfs' 1913 woodcut, "Deliberation". I'm struck by the raw texture of the print, almost as if the artist attacked the block! What stands out to you most about this piece? Curator: The immediate thing I notice is the process itself. This woodcut highlights the artist's engagement with a specific mode of production. Considering its creation in 1913, how do you see this work responding to, or perhaps challenging, the industrial modes of production that were rapidly changing society at the time? Editor: That’s interesting; I hadn’t thought of it that way. The figures seem almost primitively rendered, maybe a deliberate contrast to industrial perfection? Curator: Precisely! Rohlfs is not only depicting figures in what seems to be a moment of consideration but is also presenting the viewer with the labor of creating such an image. The stark contrast of light and dark, achieved through the cutting of the wood, forces us to confront the physical effort involved. Can we see that texture also reflected in the mood? Editor: Yes, the roughness definitely contributes to the serious, perhaps even troubled, atmosphere. So the *making* of the art becomes part of the *meaning* of the art? Curator: Absolutely. The very act of choosing wood as a medium, of carving and printing, rather than say, a smooth lithograph, situates this piece within a specific social and economic context. What were the social conversations that may be referenced here? Editor: It almost elevates the woodcut, a more accessible medium, challenging traditional hierarchies of art production. Thinking about early 20th-century Germany, maybe there’s also a statement here about connecting with the land, opposing industrial alienation? Curator: Excellent point. Considering its materiality offers powerful insights. Seeing art as something produced through material engagement is vital. Editor: This has really made me appreciate woodcuts and how material constraints and labor play a part. Curator: Indeed, now, every time you look at such piece, you will see the work involved.