Wood Owl (Bosuil)

Charles Donker is one of the foremost contemporary Dutch printmakers. He was a member of a group called De Luis (The Louse), a group of graphic artists who in the 60s made works in a surrealist or heightened realist idiom. He has long been fascinated by the natural world. He is well-known for his muted etchings that depict nature and everyday objects. His direct and honest rendering of detail lends a surreal note to many of his works. Birds, and in particular owls, are a subject to which Donker often returns in his work. He rendered this owl with minute detail. The artist's tiny strokes evoke the softness of the bird's plumage. As there is no indication of a perch, the owl seems to float in mid air .