Indklæbet reproduktion af Michelangelos "Gud skaber Eva", Det Sixtinske Kapel 1913 - 1914

This small reproduction of Michelangelo's "God Creates Eve" seems to be stuck onto a page in a book, by J.A. Jerichau. I love the way the image is framed with what looks like brushstrokes of raw color. It's this rough quality, the sense of the artist's hand, that really grabs me. The reproduction itself is in grayscale, but those surrounding painted marks are like a raw, unfiltered process laid bare. Look at the way the colors bleed into each other, almost like watercolors, but with a boldness that suggests maybe acrylic or gouache, something with more body. It's like Jerichau is not just copying but also conversing with Michelangelo, adding their own layer of interpretation through these tactile, almost primal marks. I'm reminded of Cy Twombly, in the sense that this piece is both an homage and a rebellion against the canon. It's as if Jerichau is saying, "Yes, this is a masterpiece, but art is also about the messy, imperfect process of making."