Women in the tavern 1903

Frantisek Kupka made this small drawing of women in a tavern with ink on paper, but we don’t know exactly when. I’m really drawn to the cross-hatching. See how Kupka uses these quick, overlapping lines to build up form and shadow? It’s like he’s thinking aloud, letting us in on the process. And the limited palette – just browns and tans – gives it a sense of warmth, like a cozy corner in a bustling pub. Look at the way the lines vary in thickness and direction, creating a kind of visual rhythm, especially in the clothing of the woman to the left. The texture of the paper also comes through, adding another layer of depth. It reminds me a little of Toulouse-Lautrec, capturing a fleeting moment in Parisian nightlife. But Kupka's mark-making feels more exploratory, like he's figuring things out as he goes. Art is about this kind of open-endedness, an ongoing conversation across time and styles.