Study for "The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord" 1909 - 1916

This is a charcoal study for "The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord", by John Singer Sargent. It’s all about the raw process of artmaking; the push and pull of charcoal across paper. The texture here is crucial. See how Sargent uses smudging and hatching to build up tone? It's like he's sculpting with light and shadow. The charcoal is applied with varying pressure, creating depth and volume. The physicality of the medium is so present, you can almost feel the grit of the charcoal on your fingertips. Take a look at the arm. See how the dark, almost violent marks define the tension in the muscles? That one gesture, full of such energy, holds the whole composition together. Sargent, of course, was a master of portraiture, known for his glamorous society paintings. But in this study, we see him wrestling with something deeper, something more human. It reminds me of the graphic intensity of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who wasn't afraid to confront the darker side of existence. Art, like life, is messy, unresolved, and always open to interpretation.