Staande naakte jongeman 1874 - 1925

Editor: Here we have Jan Veth's "Standing Nude Young Man," made sometime between 1874 and 1925. It's a pencil drawing, quite delicate. I'm struck by the pose – there's a vulnerability there. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Vulnerability, yes, beautifully observed. But it's more than that for me. Think of the paper itself. The tooth of it, accepting the gentle caress of the graphite, whispering secrets of form and light. The way the young man stands... isn’t he on the precipice of something? Poised between boyhood and, well, the fullness of being? Almost painfully human in his awkward grace. Doesn't it make you want to reach out and adjust the lighting for him? Editor: Awkward grace – I like that. I was focused on the expression, but you're right, his body language does suggest this in-between space. Was Veth known for this sensitive depiction of his subjects? Curator: Absolutely. Veth wasn't just recording a likeness. He was trying to capture a soul, or at least, a fleeting moment of profound inner truth. And pencil…it's so immediate, so forgiving. Each line breathes with the artist's hand, and yet, the absence of line is just as potent. Don’t you think so? Editor: I hadn't really considered the medium itself contributing to the feeling. The lightness of the pencil almost mirrors the subject's fragility. Curator: Precisely. And that is the magic. An alchemy of artist, subject, and humble material. Now, I am off to attempt some drawing. Maybe some charcoal tonight. Editor: Wonderful, that was illuminating, thank you. I’ll definitely look at pencil drawings differently now.