Severity 1904

Robert Demachy made this drawing, Severity, with dark chalky materials, maybe charcoal, building up tone on a textured surface. I can imagine him stepping back, squinting, going in again, smudging and layering to catch the light falling across the sitter’s face and neck. It’s a tricky thing, making a portrait, fixing a likeness on paper. You want to get it right, but maybe you also want to say something, to capture a mood or feeling. I wonder what he saw in this person? How did he want us to see them? That long line of the nose seems to hold everything together, anchoring the composition, while the gaze looks far beyond the picture plane into a realm of reverie. There's a sensitivity in the blending of light and shadow, and the way the background softly dissolves. It's a somber piece, but so beautiful. There’s so much to be discovered in tonal variation. It makes me want to get back to the studio!