Study of a head 1914

Josef Capek's "Study of a Head" is a small watercolor and pencil piece residing at the National Gallery in Prague, and it feels like an intimate encounter, doesn't it? Look at how Capek teases out the head through simple, bold lines and washes of color, mainly blacks, grays, and hints of violet. I imagine him, stepping back, squinting, and then leaning in again, making decisive strokes. What's so captivating is how he reduces the face to its bare essence, a single watchful eye, a dark, vertical slash suggesting a nose. The violet hues softening the hard edges, introduce a touch of vulnerability, and give the piece a sense of depth beyond its tiny scale. I'm reminded of other early modernists, like Picasso, in their quest to distill form, but Capek’s rendering has a tenderness all its own. It’s as if he’s saying, "Here is a head, stripped down, ready for you to imagine the rest." And isn't that what painting is all about? Leaving space for possibility?