Kunstnerens hustru hviler sig 1878 - 1881

Viggo Johansen created this graphite drawing, titled "Kunstnerens hustru hviler sig," which translates to "The Artist's Wife Resting," and it is now housed at the SMK. The drawing captures a moment of quiet repose. Johansen’s strategic use of hatching and cross-hatching defines form and shadow, creating a sense of volume with minimal means. Notice how the dense, dark strokes around the head contrast with the lighter, more suggestive lines delineating her body. The composition is dominated by the diagonal axis of her reclining figure, a formal choice that adds dynamism to an otherwise still scene. The unprimed paper background serves not just as support but as an active element, its emptiness emphasizing the intimate and personal nature of the sketch. Johansen’s study invites us to consider the structural integrity of the drawing as a foundation for emotional expression and challenges our understanding of the relationship between representation and the real.