Kompositionsskitse. Hakon Jarls Sønneofring? 1900 - 1905

This sketch, *Kompositionsskitse. Hakon Jarls Sønneofring?* by Karl Isakson, seems to be made with charcoal or graphite on paper. It's all about the gesture, isn't it? You can see Isakson feeling his way through the composition. I love how the figures emerge from a flurry of marks, especially the draped figure in the foreground. The marks are light and dark, confident in some places, tentative in others, and you get a sense of the artist thinking through his process. There's a real physicality to this drawing, a beautiful contrast between the solidity of the forms and the ethereal quality of the marks. It reminds me of Kathe Kollwitz, who had that same capacity to imbue charcoal with so much emotional resonance. It's like Isakson is inviting us to witness his creative process. Ultimately, art is always a conversation, and it’s up to us to keep it going.