Zwarte man 1924

This woodcut, *Zwarte man*, was made by Meijer Bleekrode in the Netherlands, at a time when printmaking was experiencing a real resurgence. Bleekrode probably started with a block of wood, carefully carving away at it with chisels and gouges. The black ink is bold and unforgiving, emphasizing the angularity of the man’s features. Look at the open mouth—the artist used such a simple cut to create the feeling of someone shouting, singing, or in pain. It’s all about the angle and the pressure, isn’t it? You can feel Bleekrode’s hand in the process, each cut a decisive, physical act. I wonder what he was thinking about when he made this. Was he trying to capture a likeness, or something more internal? Like Paula Modersohn-Becker, and so many other artists of the time, Bleekrode was tragically murdered during the Holocaust.