Lesende Frau im Profil nach rechts 1914

This is Hermann Lismann’s ink drawing, "Lesende Frau im Profil nach rechts" or "Reading Woman in Profile to the Right," made in 1914. The ink is applied with an assured hand, though it’s not trying to hide its process. The lines are wiry, not exactly descriptive, but evocative. Look at the hatched marks indicating shadow under the chair, like a quick scribble, and then how that same approach is used to describe the frills on the hat. I love how economical it is. It feels like Lismann is less interested in capturing the exact likeness of the woman, but instead wants to convey a sense of a moment, of being engrossed in reading. There’s a feeling of intimacy here, of observing someone in their own private world. It reminds me a bit of Matisse’s line drawings, where the essence of form is captured with minimal means. It’s a reminder that art is as much about suggestion and feeling as it is about precision.