Male Nude Seen from the Back 1913

Curator: This is "Male Nude Seen from the Back," a drawing by Henri Gaudier-Brzeska. Editor: It’s remarkably sparse, yet the line somehow implies mass and weight. Curator: Brzeska, who died tragically young in World War I, was very interested in the dynamism of modern life. This drawing is at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The simplicity of the form really accentuates the musculature. It feels almost classical in its understanding of anatomy. Curator: And yet, the broken line disrupts any sense of idealized beauty. It feels raw and modern, reflective of Gaudier-Brzeska’s social milieu. Editor: It makes you think about how line can both define and dissolve form. Curator: Brzeska was a fascinating, if short-lived, figure. Editor: The drawing certainly invites further consideration of line, space, and form.