Naakte vrouw met spiegel en weegschaal 1915

Bernard Willem Wierink made this piece, 'Naakte vrouw met spiegel en weegschaal', at an unspecified date using an unspecified medium. The process here feels really important, like the image is emerging from the ground itself. The palette's restrained, mostly earth tones, making it feel ancient. Looking closely, the texture is fascinating. The body of the figure is built up with these subtle lines and gentle curves. These soft marks build the form slowly, and make you aware of the artist's hand and the way the figure is emerging into being. There's a kind of honesty in that, a sense of vulnerability that I find really compelling. It’s like a visual conversation about what it means to represent the body, to grapple with issues of visibility and form. I’m reminded of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who, like Wierink, was interested in portraying the female form in an honest, humanistic way. This piece feels like a part of that conversation, ongoing and evolving.