Studies van een zittende, naaiende vrouw 1915

Rik Wouters made this study of a seated woman sewing with ink on paper. There’s a great sense of speed and immediacy to the mark-making here; Wouters isn't fussing with the details, but letting the ink flow. Look at the dark, confident strokes that define the figure on the right, it's all about capturing the essence, the gesture, the posture. The ink is laid down in such a way you can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the page. The texture is created by the varying pressure, some lines are delicate and thin, others bold and thick. It gives the image a real sense of depth, of light and shadow, which makes it very compelling. Wouters reminds me a little of Matisse, the way he uses line to define form, but there is also something distinctly modern and expressive about his work, something that speaks to the energy and dynamism of modern life.