Old man 1917

Zygmunt Waliszewski made this ink drawing, Old Man, using simple materials to describe a figure with an expressive and fluid line. The way the ink bleeds slightly into the paper tells us something about the immediacy of the process, like it was drawn quickly, spontaneously, or even secretly. I love the way the ink outlines this figure, exaggerating the curves and angles of its form. The line is thick, like it was created with a small brush or even a stick. Look closely, and you can see how Waliszewski varies the pressure, creating moments of depth and shadow. It almost feels like he’s not just drawing a figure, but mapping out a landscape. This drawing reminds me of the work of Egon Schiele, who also used line to create these distorted, emotional portraits. It is almost as though Waliszewski is asking what the essence of being is, and suggesting that it is a form that is always shifting, always becoming something else.