Straßenszene c. 1907

Max Liebermann made this street scene drawing with charcoal, and it’s all about the process. I love how the marks capture the energy of a bustling crowd. You can feel the artist making quick decisions, and the drawing becomes a record of that process. Look at how the charcoal is layered to create depth and shadow. Liebermann really understood how to let the materiality of the medium do its thing. The texture of the paper also plays a big part. It peeks through in places, adding a kind of lightness to the drawing. See the lines that form the figures? They're not overly precise, but they give you just enough information to imagine the scene unfolding. It’s like he's saying, "Here's the essence, now you fill in the rest." Liebermann reminds me of Daumier, who also had an eye for capturing everyday life, and I love seeing how artists build on each other, challenging and expanding what art can be. Ultimately, it’s up to you to find your own meaning in this sea of marks.