Liggende kvindelig model med armene over hovedet 1887 - 1940

Charles Alexandre Malfray captured this reclining female model with graphite on paper, and it's a beautiful, vulnerable pose. I'm thinking about Malfray and the model and their dance together. What does it mean to be looked at? To be the subject of the male gaze? I always feel for the artist, too. Malfray’s hand must have moved across the paper with delicate yet sure movements, capturing not just form but the essence of a living, breathing being. You can almost feel the softness of the skin, the gentle curves of the body. It's such a simple medium, graphite, but look how he coaxes out the light and shadow, creating depth and volume with just a few strokes. You know, looking at this makes me want to grab a pencil and start sketching, to feel that connection between hand, eye, and subject. It’s like a call and response across time.