Aankondiging voordracht 'Den mensch redt slechts de mensch' 1894 - 1935

This poster announcing a lecture was made in 1894 by Mathieu Lauweriks, using a woodblock printmaking technique. The sharp contrast between the black ink and the light paper emphasizes the bold typography and the stylized moth motif. The woodblock process involves carving an image into a block of wood, inking the surface, and then pressing it onto paper. The nature of the material dictates clean lines and graphic forms. The labor-intensive nature of carving each letter and design element by hand adds a layer of human touch, even in what is essentially a mass-produced format. The texture of the wood is evident in the final print, with the grain adding a subtle, tactile quality to the image. The starkness and directness of the woodcut medium suit the poster's message, creating a sense of urgency and public engagement. Consider the amount of work involved in designing and producing this poster, and the social context of a lecture on humanism and spirituality being advertised in this way. It prompts us to reflect on the relationship between artistic production, social movements, and the democratizing potential of print media.