Draperet mandlig model og et skægget mandshoved 1671 - 1738

This drawing, Drapered Male Model and a Bearded Male Head, was made by Hendrik Krock, probably in the early 1700s. It is made with graphite or black chalk on paper, humble materials, but capable of expressing a sophisticated academic understanding of the human form. Krock seems most interested here in the play of light across the model's back and shoulders, and the heavy drapery. The repeated lines suggest the artist felt his way into the subject, adjusting his sense of the model’s presence. Note the different qualities of line: some quick and gestural, others more deliberate and descriptive. Drawings like this were not usually considered finished artworks in their own right, but rather a record of observation, and a preparation for other endeavors like painting. Yet, there’s a directness to this sheet of paper. It allows us to appreciate Krock’s skill and the rich artistic culture of his time. By attending to its making we can appreciate that such works of art do not come from nowhere, but are the product of careful labor.