Study of a Model 1916

Lovis Corinth made this ‘Study of a Model’, and what strikes me is how he's using the etching needle like a kind of shorthand. It's all about gesture, a quick mapping of form. You can feel him thinking through the marks. The image feels casual, like a stolen moment, but the energy of the lines really activates the space. Take the way Corinth uses hatching to define the shadow under the model's arm. It’s not just about shading; it’s like he's building volume with pure energy. The stark contrast between the figure and the background creates a real push-pull. It's reminiscent of some of those drypoint prints by Edvard Munch, raw, emotional, and immediate. Ultimately, I find a tender, unidealized humanity to the figure. Art isn't about perfect likeness, but about the imperfect process of seeing and feeling.