Mandlig model, set fra ryggen 1914

J.A. Jerichau sketched this male figure, seen from the back, in pencil on paper. I can imagine Jerichau hunched over the drawing, squinting, making quick, decisive marks that build into a whole. Look at the density of lines around the butt and the shoulders! It’s like he’s searching for the form, allowing the shading to do the work of sculpting the figure. What did Jerichau make of this man’s stance, his weight shifted to one side? Was he a model at the academy? Or just a guy the artist saw at the beach? That strong line that runs from the shoulder down the arm—it’s so assured, so confident. It reminds me of similar lines in drawings by Matisse, but it also brings to mind the earlier academic tradition of drawing from life. I love the way artists learn from and build on each other's work. It's like a conversation across time. Each gesture, each mark is part of that conversation, imbued with feeling and intention.