Stefan Bech's woodcuts

I was recently browsing   the shelves  in my library. In  search of publications about  exotic art, I found, squeezed between books, a  position  non-exotic at all.  It was portfolio with Stefan Bech's woodcuts  published  in 1960, exactly sixty years ago.

 As it  usually happens , not each of the works placed there  represents  a high artistic level. However, their true beauty comes  from the author's passion. The beauty that Stefan Bech was able to see in  no longer existing parts of our city. 

 Most of the woodcuts are works captivating with the balance of black paint and, unfortunately, a bit yellowed white. However, this does not interfere with  the perception.  Mellowness  makes them  even more interesting.
I did not count how many  ectypes of woodcut  there are in  the portfolio - maybe it is incomplete. It certainly does not contain the text of the  author whose  name appears on the cover of the publisher. I was also not looking for any publications on Stefan Bech. I did it on purpose,  so as not to be influenced by the author's biography or the existing descriptions of his work. So I was able to view it without unnecessary "information noise". Someone will say it  is an unprofessional. Maybe so. However, I decided to rely on my feelings. I had no intention of confronting my impressions with  previously read  opinions.

 

 

I`ve chosen some    of these works. Most of them show the old city architecture. However, apart from the formal  graphic arts, I noticed the drawings depicting   people or  hanging  clothes. For me, these are the most exciting. 

In this way, while searching for art studies existing thousands of kilometers away, I found a portfolio full of wonderful woodcuts showing monuments of Kościan.