Figurstudier til Langelinie-billedet 1923 - 1924

Edvard Weie made this sketch on paper, probably with graphite, and it's full of these jotted lines, just the barest suggestion of figures. I can imagine Weie rapidly drawing, trying to catch the essence of the scene. See how he's used these very light marks, almost like whispers, to suggest the forms of the people? The figure with the hat is so fleeting but conveys a sense of presence through just a few carefully placed lines. When I look at this, I think about what it means to capture a moment, how artists for centuries have responded to the world and each other through observation. It reminds me of sketches made by other artists of the time, like Bonnard and Vuillard, all trying to capture the fleeting moments of modern life. This little study becomes part of a larger conversation, a lineage of artists responding to and inspiring one another. It’s not about perfection but capturing a feeling, an idea, a question.