Liggende naakte vrouw 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this drawing, Liggende naakte vrouw, with chalk. I can just imagine Stolk in his studio, grappling with the form, trying to capture the weight and softness of flesh. You can almost feel him circling the model, his eyes searching for the right angle, the perfect line. Look at the way the chalk is layered, hatching and cross-hatching, to build up the shadows and contours. Each stroke feels like a discovery, a negotiation between what he sees and what he feels. It's like he's wrestling with the paper, trying to coax the image out of the void. There is something very raw and vulnerable in the image. I think the best drawings get at that feeling. Drawing is just this constant conversation across time. Each artist is inspired by what came before, adding their own little twist, their own way of seeing. It is a beautiful thought.