To kvinder. 1907 - 1908

Othon Friesz made this ink drawing, Two Women, on paper. Just look at the sheer energy of those black marks! They're like quick, decisive swoops, almost as if Friesz was wrestling with the image, trying to capture it in one go. It's all about flow and movement, isn't it? The women almost seem to be emerging from the swirling lines. I can imagine Friesz standing there, brush in hand, totally absorbed. Maybe he was thinking about the Fauves and their wild use of color and wanted to simplify the palette and concentrate on the dynamism of the figures. I think about other artists who have captured bodies in simple strokes; I can’t help but think of Matisse, for instance. It's like they're all having this ongoing conversation, trying to figure out how to depict the human form in new and exciting ways. It's a reminder that art is all about dialogue and exchange, each artist building on what came before.