Man 1919

This little sculpture of a man was made by Svend Rathsack, though we don’t know exactly when. Just look at the smoothness of the surface, and how the whole figure stretches upward. I wonder what Rathsack was thinking when he made this? Maybe he was thinking about how our bodies hold all our emotions and experiences. The man is so still, but you can sense the potential for movement in those arms. They mirror each other and emphasize the stillness of the statue. It's funny, even though this sculpture is small, it reminds me of the big, powerful figures you see in classical art. Except, there’s something much more intimate and human about it. It’s like Rathsack wanted to show us the beauty and strength of the human form, but also its vulnerability and fragility. Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time. They leave little clues and traces for us to follow.