Liggende kvindelig model 1931

Alfred Simonsen made this drawing of a reclining female model with ink on paper, but who knows when! The image is all nervous energy, built up by layers of quick, scratchy marks. It's all about the process, the making of the image in real time. Up close, you can see how Simonsen used these tiny little strokes to define the shapes of the body, building volume out of thin air. The darkness around the figure isn't just shadow; it's like the model is emerging from a cloud of marks. The texture feels almost feverish, as if Simonsen was trying to capture not just the model's appearance, but also a feeling, an emotional state. I'm reminded of Käthe Kollwitz's prints. There's a similar intensity, a raw emotionality in the way she used line and tone. Both artists use mark-making to speak to the human condition and remind us that art is a conversation across generations.