Studies of Male Nudes [verso] 1918 - 1919

John Singer Sargent made these studies of male nudes with graphite on paper, but we don't know when. I can imagine Sargent in his studio, charcoal in hand, circling and observing his models. The lines feel so certain, so economical, but I bet it took him many tries. There’s a real push and pull between the desire for accuracy, for getting it right, and the expressive quality of the mark. Look at how the hatching on the arm creates a sense of volume and light. You can almost feel the weight of the muscle, the tension in the pose. Sargent's practice recalls the Old Masters, but he does it in his own way. He takes what was there before and makes something entirely new. And that’s the thing about painting, isn’t it? We’re all in conversation with each other, riffing on the ideas of the past, trying to make sense of the world in our own way.