Sitting old man nude 1905

Anton Azbe made this oil painting called 'Sitting old man nude', and what I love about it is how the brushstrokes are so present. You can almost feel Azbe's hand moving across the canvas, building up the form of the man with these energetic strokes. I imagine Azbe standing there, in front of his model, trying to capture not just what he sees, but also something about the man's inner life. The way the light catches the planes of the face, the soft greys and browns of the beard, all these details suggest a life lived, experiences etched onto the skin. The darkness around him is really important, it makes him emerge from the blackness and, for me, it gives him the quiet dignity he deserves. He's a reminder of all the conversations between artists through the years. It feels so good to be a part of that conversation.