Mandlig model, set fra ryggen 1914

J.A. Jerichau made this drawing of a male model from behind, on paper, sometime around 1914. Look at the way the shading is achieved; it's not about smooth blending, but about these energetic, almost scribbled lines laid down next to each other. You can almost feel the artist circling the form, trying to capture the essence of the body's structure. I find myself drawn to the area where the model's hand rests on his hip. See how the artist uses the density of the marks to suggest the weight and pressure of the hand? It's a beautiful example of how a simple drawing can convey so much about the body and its presence. Jerichau died young, but from what I can see, his work reminds me of Egon Schiele, especially in the raw, expressive quality of the line. Art is like a conversation across time, isn't it? A constant exchange of ideas and ways of seeing.