Au Bordel c. 1905 - 1920

Maurice de Vlaminck made this woodcut called 'Au Bordel' – 'In the Brothel' – with ink on paper. The strong contrast between the black and white areas gives it a graphic punch, doesn’t it? You can really feel Vlaminck digging into that woodblock, wrestling with the material to get these bold, decisive lines. It’s a process you can sense. Look at the way he carves out the figures; they’re raw, almost primal. There's this directness in the way he simplifies the forms. That thick black line outlining the figures isn’t just a boundary; it’s alive, vibrating with energy. Then there are these subtle variations in the black ink, areas where it’s denser and others where it's lighter, giving the image depth and texture. It reminds me of Munch’s woodcuts, where the starkness amplifies the emotional charge. Vlaminck isn't interested in perfection; he's after something more visceral, a gut reaction. And in that, I think he succeeds.