Portrait of a Youth 1923

Here's Vincenzo Gemito's 'Portrait of a Youth', made in 1929 with charcoal and crayon. Look at those smoky grays against the warm tan of the paper, a dance of light and shadow that brings this young person to life. I can just imagine Gemito's hand moving across the page, coaxing out the contours of the face, the way the light catches in the eyes, and the soft curls of the hair. It's like he's not just drawing a portrait, but trying to capture a fleeting moment, a feeling, an essence. You know? There's a tenderness in the way the lines are drawn, a sensitivity that makes you feel like you're getting a glimpse into the soul of the sitter. I think it connects to other artists, like Käthe Kollwitz, who also used drawing to express deep emotion and empathy. You feel that he's trying to get to some kind of inner truth.