De Notenkraker, 19 oktober 1907 / Amsterdam III - Ridder Piet Possibly 1907 - 1919

This cover of "De Notenkraker," was made with printmaking techniques in 1907 by Albert Hahn. The whole thing feels etched somehow, like a dense network of tiny lines building up the image. I love this approach to art making, where it's all about the process, the slow build up of marks. Look closely and you can see the texture, the way the lines create a physical surface. It's all black and white, making it both stark and strangely intimate. I'm drawn to the lion’s dripping tongue; it has this raw, almost grotesque quality that I find strangely compelling. It's like Hahn is pushing the boundaries of the medium, exploring the tension between representation and abstraction, humor and horror. I think of George Grosz, who also used caricature to make political points, using drawing as a form of protest. Ultimately, this print reminds me that art is a conversation, always questioning, always pushing.