Interieur met drie lezende figuren 1922

This drawing, made by Max Liebermann, probably with graphite or charcoal, captures a moment of quiet concentration. You can almost hear the rustle of pages as these figures pore over their books. I imagine Liebermann, maybe sketching quickly, trying to catch the light as it falls across the scene. Those sketchy, loose lines create a sense of intimacy. You know, it's like he's inviting us into this private world of study and contemplation. I wonder what these figures are reading, and what the artist was thinking as he made this image. There's a connection here, too, with other artists who have explored the theme of readers. This is about painting, of course, but it's also about looking, about paying attention. Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time, borrowing and riffing on ideas. It's the feeling of the space, not the facts of it, that feels important to me.