Jeg har ikke noget at give dig... 1901

Fritz Syberg made this small, graphic work – Jeg har ikke noget at give dig... – using black ink to depict a garden scene. I imagine him outside, perhaps in his own garden, making quick marks to capture the scene. He probably looked back and forth, unsure about what to include and what to leave out. I empathize with the artist’s struggle, weighing each mark and line. He decided to leave in a seated woman, a standing woman, and a tipped watering can, with many marks to indicate trees and plants. He must have felt urgency, and perhaps even a little frustration. The energy in this drawing comes from the restless marks and the composition. Syberg left the meaning open, inviting us to bring our own stories. It reminds me of other artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker, who explored similar themes of women, nature, and interiority. Artists are always in conversation, borrowing and riffing off each other's ideas, and, for me, this is what makes art so alive!