Four Nudes 

Editor: Here we have "Four Nudes", a drawing by James Ensor. It’s made with delicate pencil work. What strikes me is how preliminary the sketches seem. What stands out to you when you view this work? Curator: The power of this drawing lies precisely in its unrefined, exploratory quality. The composition is interesting. Ensor presents us with four figures, but the variations in line weight and definition create a hierarchy. Note how the figure second from the left is rendered with considerably more weight. How does this emphasis affect your reading? Editor: I hadn't thought about the variation in line. Now that you point it out, that figure definitely has more presence, more solidity than the others. Is it a focal point of some kind? Curator: Indeed. Ensor's handling of line constructs the composition. It serves to activate some parts and attenuate others. Line operates almost as a sculptural device here, bringing mass and depth to what otherwise reads as rudimentary shapes. We see light modeling along the spine and in the curve of the calf on the foremost figure. How would you describe Ensor’s mark making? Editor: I'd call it efficient. He suggests form with minimal strokes. And I think, like you said, that variation adds depth and focuses your eye, even though it looks so simple at first. Curator: Exactly. Ensor understands the potency of suggestion, permitting the viewer to participate in the image's completion. In the realm of line, does absence sometimes carry the same weight as presence? Editor: That’s something I hadn't fully appreciated. I’m going to pay more attention to these choices by the artist to build their work from here on out. Thanks!