Louis, an Italian Fisherman, Glouscester c. 1920

Abraham Levinson made this drawing, Louis, an Italian Fisherman, Gloucester, using pencil on paper. Isn’t it funny how a few simple lines can capture a whole person? Levinson’s drawing feels like a direct, unfiltered glimpse. There's a kind of vulnerability in the way the lines waver, as if the artist is feeling his way around the subject. I’m drawn to the way the fisherman’s arms are crossed - that single, confident stroke of the pencil that defines his forearm. It’s almost like a barrier, a way of protecting himself from the world. But then, there's the gentle curve of his hat, which is kind of playful, right? This reminds me of other portrait drawings, like ones by David Hockney, where the artist uses line to convey both likeness and psychological depth. But it also stands apart. It’s a quiet, intimate moment captured in graphite, a reminder that art doesn’t always need to shout to be heard.