Naakte man, knielend op één knie 1906 - 1945

Here's Reijer Stolk's drawing of a nude man kneeling, made with pencil at an unknown date. I find myself wondering about Stolk as he made this, and what he might have been thinking. Was he working quickly, trying to capture a fleeting moment? Or did he take his time, carefully observing the nuances of light and shadow on the human form? I imagine him squinting at the model, making constant adjustments, the pencil lines becoming a kind of dance across the page. There's something vulnerable about the figure, kneeling as he is. The lines are tentative, searching, as if the artist is trying to understand the subject and the world. Looking at this drawing, I am reminded that artists are always in conversation with one another. Stolk draws from the life and develops a personal vision of the subject. It makes me want to pick up my own pencil and join the conversation.