Ein lesender und ein stehender männlicher Akt (Dr. von Fischer)Aus der Mappe_ Im Sonnenbad, Privatdruck 1922 1922

Max Slevogt made this etching, *Ein lesender und ein stehender männlicher Akt*, around 1922. It’s an image of two men in the sun, one reading. I love how Slevogt uses these scratchy, energetic lines to create a scene that feels both intimate and a little chaotic. It's like he's capturing a fleeting moment, a casual snapshot of everyday life. Look at the way he renders the foliage in the background, it’s a flurry of dark, almost frantic marks. Then compare that to the figure on the left, in the hat, reading a book. Slevogt uses a more delicate touch, softer lines to define the form. The contrast is really striking. This work reminds me a bit of early Manet, in the sense that the forms are created through line. Like Manet, Slevogt seems more interested in capturing the essence of a moment, the play of light and shadow, than in achieving a perfect representation. It's this kind of honesty that keeps me coming back to art.