Chapric and Murka 1922

Adolf Dehn made this drawing called ‘Chapric and Murka’ in 1932 using ink. Look at these two characters. The scene is set; a vase of flowers, a bowl of fruit, and a swan-shaped tea pot create a backdrop for a moment of friendship and connection. The fluid strokes of ink define the curves of their bodies, the soft folds of their clothing, and the rich textures of their hair. I wonder what he was thinking when he made this. Was he trying to capture the essence of a particular time, a place, a feeling? The delicate lines and bold shadows combine to create a sense of movement and life that draws you in. Each stroke of ink carries an emotional charge, a sense of the artist's hand at work, thinking and feeling in tandem. The act of drawing, like the act of friendship, becomes a way of seeing, a way of feeling, and a way of being in the world. Dehn is in conversation with a long tradition of mark-making.