Dimensions: height 300 mm, width 497 mm, height 497 mm, width 604 mm
Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain
This is a woodcut titled Bos in de Winter by Dirck Nab. The striking contrast between black and white immediately grabs your attention, right? It's not just about depicting a winter forest; it's about the starkness, the bare bones of the scene. Look at the lines—they're so direct, so unapologetic. The textures created by the cuts into the wood block give the impression of dense undergrowth. Those white lines zig-zagging across the bottom, they feel like the chaos and randomness that's part of nature. There's a raw quality to the execution that reminds me of the German Expressionists, like Kirchner, who also used woodcuts to convey intense emotion. Nab isn't just showing us a forest; he's inviting us to feel the chill, the quiet, the solitude of winter. It’s a great reminder that art is about process, and embracing happy accidents.
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