Rustend model, lezend op een sofa 1848 - 1927

August Allebé rendered "Rustend model, lezend op een sofa" using pencil on paper. Notice how the composition is built from a series of intersecting lines, creating a sense of depth and volume. The sparse use of shading directs our attention to the model's posture. Allebé captures the private moment of reading through a focus on the model's downcast gaze and the curve of their body. The visible sketch lines and erasures are not concealed. Instead they become integral to the drawing's aesthetic. These elements reveal the artist’s process, inviting us to contemplate the act of creation itself. Finally, consider how the unfinished quality of the drawing challenges traditional notions of artistic completion. The emphasis on process over product aligns with broader modernist trends, which valued experimentation and the raw expression of artistic vision. The drawing invites us to consider the relationship between the artist, the model, and the act of representation.