Figurstudie af siddende olding og stående dreng 1906

This sketch of a seated old man and standing boy was made by Joakim Skovgaard, though we don’t know exactly when. I love this drawing. The way it’s been built up with these searching, scribbly lines. You can really sense the artist at work, as he coaxes the figures into being. I imagine him, pencil in hand, circling around his subject, trying to find the right form, the right gesture, the right expression. It's like he's mapping out the space between them. It makes me think about all the different ways of seeing that painting offers. Sometimes it's about capturing a likeness, but other times, it's about something more elusive - a feeling, a mood, a relationship. You can really see that here, the artist is working out their relationship, it gives me a sense of intimacy, and quiet contemplation. It is a beautiful thing.