Building site of I. G. Farben 1928

Pauline Kowarzik made this muted pastel drawing of the I. G. Farben building site in 1928. There's something so tender and unassuming about the touch. It's as if she's feeling her way through the scene, marking out trains and plumes of smoke with an almost hesitant hand. The colours are earthy – browns, ochres, and muted greens – which give the whole composition a subdued, melancholic feel. The drawing has a soft, almost blurry quality, as if the scene is emerging from a haze. I love the way the soft marks build to create a sense of depth and movement. This piece reminds me a little of Lovis Corinth's landscapes. There is a similar looseness, a willingness to let the medium do its thing. Both artists share an interest in the physicality of the world around them. This image embraces ambiguity, and maybe that's why it stays with you.