H. S. Paulli 1870 - 1881

Curator: Here we have a pencil drawing from circa 1870-1881 entitled “H.S. Paulli,” residing here at the SMK, or Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: My first impression is...melancholy. The gent’s gaze is kindly, but the strokes of the pencil create an almost ghostly transparency. It’s like seeing a memory taking shape. Curator: Indeed. Notice the meticulous attention to detail in the rendering of his features – the subtle lines around his eyes, the texture of his hair and beard. The artist's deft use of shading builds up the form and gives depth to the face. Observe also the somewhat rigid posture that adheres to a rather realist tradition of portraiture. Editor: And that high collar, almost choking him. It gives you the feeling of formality and social expectation versus the fleeting freedom of just existing. Did he like posing? Or was it a tiresome ritual for both sitter and artist? The piece also hints at a vulnerability, hidden perhaps beneath layers of societal demand. Curator: One could argue the almost imperceptible tension serves to humanize him, in contrast to idealized or romanticized portraits often created at that time. The seemingly effortless rendering speaks to the mastery the artist held with the pencil and the techniques of shadowing that are required. Editor: It’s more than technique, though, isn’t it? The slightly downward turn of his lips…it tells me stories about the silent negotiations, the hidden struggles of an ordinary person caught in the grand theater of existence. It makes you think what the meaning of those silent lines of aging represents to his person. Curator: It also gives way for the study of the realism art style through this specific piece, which contrasts with impressionistic ideals. The very nature of the pencil drawing and limited color forces a concentrated inspection of form and the effects that an artist creates with restricted elements. Editor: Ultimately, isn't it the imperfect human touch that gives this work its charm? The artist captured not just a likeness, but a fleeting emotion, a wisp of the soul of H. S. Paulli caught in time, with some precision in deed. I thank you for inviting me to observe this piece! Curator: A truly astute final note. I find it wonderful to reflect on how what is excluded from an image is in equal importance to what it includes.