Figurstudie. Stående kvinde en face med armene over hovedet. 1906 - 1909

Othon Friesz made this quick sketch of a standing woman with arms overhead, using graphite on paper. It feels like a study, a way of working out the figure's pose, with lines that are quick and searching. The graphite is applied with varying pressure, creating a sense of depth and volume with just a few strokes. Look at the torso—the lines are confident, almost bold, yet they remain open, allowing the form to breathe. There's an energy in the sketch, a sense of the artist's hand moving rapidly across the page. The legs almost don't resolve. This reminds me of Matisse, in how he could suggest so much with so little. But Friesz has his own sensibility, a kind of raw directness that I find really appealing. It's like he's inviting us into his process, showing us the messy, imperfect beauty of making art. And that's something I can always appreciate.