Nude 1951

This charcoal drawing, "Nude", was created by Burhan Dogancay, though the exact date is unknown. You can tell Dogancay was really feeling the charcoal as he worked, grinding it into the paper in places to create these dark, almost velvety shadows. The material itself is front and center: you can see every stroke, smudge, and line. Look at the way the light catches the model's back, how it almost seems to glow against the heavy, textural darkness surrounding it. The charcoal is thick and opaque, making it seem like the figure is emerging from the shadows. It reminds me a bit of Käthe Kollwitz's drawings, in the way it uses the starkness of black and white to convey a sense of raw emotion. But while Kollwitz is often focused on themes of grief and social injustice, Dogancay's drawing feels more intimate, a quiet moment of observation. It's a reminder that art isn't about perfect representation, but about capturing a feeling, a moment, a way of seeing.