Spreewälderin c. 1928 - 1930

This drawing called Spreewälderin shows a seated woman sketched by Otto Verhagen. The tones are soft, in a palette of greens and greys. I find myself wondering about Otto, and the act of seeing this woman seated before him. Look at the smudges and varied densities of pencil strokes. There's a tentative quality about the line, as if Otto is feeling around, trying to grasp the essence of her pose and dress. The green of the skirt is so vibrant, it really pops against the more muted tones elsewhere. I wonder, too, about the shadow behind her. It’s so dark and dense that it seems to be pressing in on her. The artist seems to be feeling around trying to grasp the essence of the scene with an economy of gesture. Artists are always in dialogue with one another, building on the visual language of those who came before. There’s a sense of quiet contemplation here, a moment captured with such sensitivity and grace.