Geabstraheerd gezicht 1923

Erich Wichmann made this drawing, Geabstraheerd gezicht, probably with charcoal on paper, we think in 1923. It's like he's trying to capture the bare essence of a face, stripping away all the unnecessary details. The first thing that strikes me is the line, how it shakily defines the form, and the grainy texture of the charcoal against the paper. It’s a simple gesture, a quick sketch, but it speaks volumes. Look at the way the artist suggests the eye socket with just a few scribbled marks – economical, right? It reminds me of some of Matisse's line drawings. The interesting thing about line is that it can be a direct record of an action or process. It is this commitment to the process that draws me to this work. It feels like a snapshot of a thought, a fleeting moment captured in charcoal. It doesn’t try to be perfect or precise, and maybe it's that imperfection that makes it so compelling.