Tenth Eclogue: A Naiad, Nymph of the Springs (Arethuse) Possibly 1926

Aristide Maillol made this, Tenth Eclogue: A Naiad, Nymph of the Springs (Arethuse) with a single color, printed on paper. Look closely at the bold lines defining the figure and the setting. I wonder, what was Maillol thinking when he made this? The nymph, so classically poised and framed by the hard edge of the square, she's practically daring us to interpret her. The economy of line here is amazing. It is a study in simplicity. The image exists because of what isn't there as much as for what is. There is a confidence here, a sureness of touch. And that single color, ochre, or is it a burnt sienna? What does this say? Maillol must have known that the absence of color is, in and of itself, a statement. I see echoes of Matisse in the composition, yet Maillol’s approach feels distinctly his own. It's like these artists are having a visual conversation across time, each adding their unique voice to the chorus.