Kvindeportræt 1929

Henry Nielsen made this print, Kvindeportræt, in 1929, and it feels as though it was made in a furious burst of energy. The marks aren't delicate, they're urgent! You can imagine him pulling the print and thinking, "Yes! Done!" There's a raw, tactile quality to the print, you can almost feel the texture of the plate, and the way the ink grabs onto the paper. See how the dark ink clumps together in her hair? It's like he's sculpting with shadows. The lines around her face are so simple, so direct, yet they capture something essential about her. It reminds me of the German Expressionists like Kirchner, who were also grappling with capturing the intensity of human experience. What's so compelling is how Nielsen embraces the imperfections, the little slips and smudges, making this portrait feel incredibly alive and present. It reminds us that art is not about perfection, but about capturing a moment, an emotion, a fleeting glimpse of the world.