Verdriet - Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita

A 1914 woodcut by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, depicting a grieving figure through rhythmic, parallel lines and a sombre, monochromatic palette.

Verdriet, a woodcut produced by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita in 1914, demonstrates the artist's mastery of the medium and his affinity for linear expression. The title, which translates from Dutch as 'Grief' or 'Sorrow', informs the composition: a solitary female figure stands in profile, her head bowed and arms raised to cover her face. The posture conveys a sense of internalised mourning, reinforced by the verticality of the design. De Mesquita employs a rigorous technique of parallel lines to define both the figure and the surrounding space. These lines follow the contours of the body, creating a rhythmic texture that suggests volume without relying on traditional shading. The background consists of similar vertical striations, which serve to compress the pictorial space and focus attention on the figure's silhouette. The monochromatic, earthy tone of the ink against the paper provides a sombre quality, aligning with the emotional weight of the subject matter. As a graphic artist, de Mesquita was known for his technical precision and his ability to distil complex human emotions into simplified, graphic forms. This work reflects the influence of the Symbolist movement, where the aim was to represent subjective states of mind rather than objective reality. The figure is not a specific portrait but a universal archetype of human suffering. The starkness of the woodcut process, requiring the artist to carve away the negative space, results in a final image that feels deliberate and controlled. The composition is contained within an arched frame, adding a sense of architectural structure to the scene. This print remains a representative example of de Mesquita's graphic output, showing his capacity to balance decorative pattern with psychological depth.