"Stilfærdig samtale" 1897 - 1949

Robert Storm Petersen made "Stilfærdig samtale" with graphite on paper. What grabs me is the tender, almost tentative way Petersen coaxes these figures into being with graphite. It's like he's feeling his way through a conversation, letting the tones and shapes emerge gradually. Up close, the drawing is all about texture. Petersen builds up the forms with layers of short, flickering lines, giving the surfaces a kind of velvety softness. Look at the way he suggests the weight of their suits. The graphite is smudged and blended in places, creating subtle gradations of light and shadow. The faces, so simply rendered, are almost comical, but there’s also a quiet dignity to them. I'm reminded of Honoré Daumier, who also had a knack for capturing the quirks and foibles of everyday life. But where Daumier could be biting and satirical, Petersen strikes me as more gentle, more forgiving. Ultimately, it's that sense of human empathy that makes this drawing so resonant.