Komposition 1916

J.A. Jerichau made this small etching called "Komposition" in 1916. Look at the quick, almost nervous lines that describe these figures, they remind me of sketching in a cafe, trying to catch a fleeting moment. The surface has a real tactile quality, even though it's just lines on paper. You can almost feel the scratch of the needle on the plate. See how the lines vary in thickness and depth? That's where the artist really dug in, creating shadows and volume. There's this one figure on the right, seated and cloaked, that feels so solid compared to the others, who are all kind of dissolving into the background. Jerichau died that same year he made this in Paris. Like Egon Schiele, his work is full of raw energy, and is very much of its time, but stands apart from many of his contemporaries. These artists both embrace ambiguity, letting the work remain unresolved, inviting us to bring our own experiences to the table.