Frauenkopf 1929

Max Bill made this 'Women's Head,' maybe in the mid-twentieth century, using thin lines on wood. The figure emerges and recedes from the wood grain beneath. I imagine Bill felt the surface of the panel as he worked; the grain must have guided the figure as she came into being. I am really drawn to the woman’s thin, continuous outline. It defines her face, breasts, crossed arms, and legs. She is solid and ethereal at the same time. The halo above her head is a simple curve. I wonder if he was looking at Picasso? Modigliani? This woman is so streamlined. I can imagine him editing the image, reducing each line until it was just right, the essence of a woman. Artists are always looking at each other, whether they know it or not. It’s all part of one big conversation. And we, as viewers, get to join in too!