Biedermeier Fashion 1908

Urban Janke made this small drawing, Biedermeier Fashion, on a sheet sometime between 1887 and 1914. The colour palette is simple, muted, and maybe even a little melancholic, and the marks are clean and crisp like he knew exactly what he wanted to make when he started. The interesting thing about this drawing is how the thin lines and the light washes of color create a world that feels both precise and dreamlike at the same time. I love the way the ribbon loops around her torso, like a soft embrace that also holds the whole composition together. It's a pretty nice metaphor for what art can do, isn't it? It pulls you in, but it also gives you structure. It's easy to see echoes of artists like Kees van Dongen here, but Janke’s personal touch sets it apart; his own distinctive voice which speaks to the ongoing dialogue of art history.