“The Woodman,” painted by Ferdinand Hodler in 1910, is an exemplary piece of Art Nouveau (Modern) genre painting created using oil on canvas. This artwork is currently housed in the Museo de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) in São Paulo, Brazil.
The artwork portrays a robust woodcutter actively engaged in chopping wood. The man stands in a dynamic pose, his body twisted and full of tension as he brings an axe down with force. The background is notably simplistic, emphasizing the physical effort and the solitary concentration of the woodman. Hodler’s use of vivid colors and strong lines captures the intensity and physicality of the woodman’s labor, reflecting themes of human toil and strength. The plain background contrasts with the detailed depiction of the man, highlighting the subject’s significance and the artist’s focus on human endeavor.
