Stehender Frauenakt mit erhobenen, auf Brusthöhe zusammengeführten Händen 

Wilhelm Rietschel made this sketch of a standing woman with raised hands using graphite on paper. Graphite, derived from naturally occurring crystalline carbon, leaves behind a delicate trail of greyish-black pigment as it glides across the paper’s surface. Look closely, and you’ll see the artist skillfully manipulated the material to create a sense of volume and depth. The figure emerges through subtle gradations of tone, achieved by varying the pressure applied to the pencil. Notice the dense, dark lines defining the contours, and the lighter, softer strokes that fill in the planes of the body, capturing the fall of light and shadow. The directness and simplicity of the graphite medium lends itself to the immediacy of the artist's vision. The artist is engaging with a tradition of academic drawing and life studies. The work invites us to consider the fundamental skills and techniques that underpin artistic representation.