Zittend vrouwelijk naakt met voorovergebogen hoofd 1891 - 1919

Wilhelm Lehmbruck made this print of a seated nude woman, head bowed, using etching. It’s a drawing, really, a network of subtle lines. The gray ink feels suspended, like a memory. Look at how the etching captures the figure; the soft gradations of tone create a sense of volume but also of vulnerability. I am drawn to the way the lines articulate the curve of her spine and the delicate rendering of her downcast head. It's as though she is turning inward, seeking solace within herself. Lehmbruck's print reminds me a little of Rodin, but there's something rawer and more immediate. With Lehmbruck, you feel the hand of the artist in every mark, every line, a kind of conversation with the material. Ultimately, the piece feels unresolved, open, a fleeting gesture caught in time.