Mädchenakt, sitzend c. 1909

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made this drawing, "Mädchenakt, sitzend", with ink on paper. There’s a fluidity to the strokes, an economy even, that suggests a real confidence in his line. Look at the way he describes the model’s hair – those thick, dark marks that both define and obscure the shape. It's not about perfection, it's about capturing a feeling, an essence. That one long continuous line that runs from her shoulder, down her arm, and all the way to the floor—that’s like a dare! How much can you say with just one stroke? The drawing's like a map of the artist’s looking and thinking, not just a reproduction of the model's body. Kirchner, like Matisse, knew the power of a simple line to hold complexity. The blank spaces aren't empty, they're charged with potential, inviting you to fill in the gaps, to participate in the act of seeing. It becomes a shared experience.