Head of Man Smoking c. early 20th century

This is Charles Demuth's "Head of a Man Smoking," a graphite drawing on paper. Right away, what grabs me is the wiggly, almost frantic energy of the lines. It feels so immediate, like he's trying to capture a fleeting thought or feeling. Look closely, and you'll notice how Demuth uses these restless lines to build up the form, to create volume. The back of the head is like a scribbled frenzy, while the face itself is a bit calmer, more deliberate. He doesn't seem interested in perfection but instead in the raw, messy process of seeing. There’s something really vulnerable about the work – a sense of a person laid bare, captured in a moment of private reflection. It reminds me of Egon Schiele, who had a similar approach to the exposed and vulnerable human figure. For both artists, art is all about embracing imperfection, about letting the process lead you to unexpected places.