Nude Figure Standing and Holding Her Ankle 1934

Gerhard Marcks made this drawing, Nude Figure Standing and Holding Her Ankle, on paper with pencil in 1979. The lines feel exploratory, as if Marcks is figuring out the pose as he goes, rubbing out and re-drawing to capture the weight and balance of the figure. It's a process you can really sense. I love how the texture of the paper comes through. The lightness of the pencil makes it feel like a fleeting glimpse, not trying to be too polished or finished, it embraces a kind of vulnerability. Look at the area where the figure is holding her ankle. The soft shading there gives a sense of pressure and three-dimensionality, and is really sensual. It’s a delicate balance between detail and open space. Marcks reminds me a bit of Matisse in his approach to line and form, but with a more vulnerable edge. I think what's interesting is that these artists invite us to see the world in new ways, through the language of line, shape and form, and how it's always ongoing.