Model ved barren 1904 - 1907

Albert Marquet created this sketch, Model ved barren, with graphite on paper. The marks are so alive; you can almost see Marquet circling the model, urgently trying to capture her form. He is figuring it out as he goes, making adjustments, searching for the right line, and letting his graphite wander. I wonder what it was like to be Marquet in that moment? To be so focused on the task of representing the human body, grappling with light and shadow, form and space. See the bold strokes that define her shadow? They’re like extensions of his own movements, each mark a record of his looking, feeling, and thinking. This sketch feels intimate, like a fleeting glimpse into a private moment between artist and model. And really, it's like all artists are having conversations, riffing off each other's ideas across time and space.