Sketchbook 1946

This drawing of a seated figure was made by Hans Bellmer, likely with graphite, on graph paper. Bellmer seems to build the figure out of these repetitive marks. Layering the lines, he creates volume and shadow. These obsessive, repetitive lines almost seem to trap the figure, giving it a feeling of claustrophobia. The pressure of the graphite on the paper is varied to give definition to particular parts of the body, but as a whole, the figure feels unresolved, or in process. Looking at Bellmer’s drawing, I think of the drawings of Alfred Kubin, another artist who explored the darker side of the psyche through disturbing and ambiguous imagery. Like Kubin, Bellmer invites us to contemplate the human condition, with all its complexities and contradictions. There's no single meaning here, just an open invitation to look, feel, and reflect.