Kristus og den samaritanske kvinde 1919

Joakim Skovgaard made this sketch of Christ and the Samaritan Woman in 1919 with some kind of pen on paper, I guess. The whole scene is built from such simple marks, hatching and cross-hatching, to give a sense of shadow and depth. It’s all line and tone, and nothing is overworked. Skovgaard's mark-making feels immediate and direct; he is making decisions as he goes. Look at the way the parallel lines of the sky contrast with the wispy clouds and the bolder marks in the foreground, it really gives a sense of space. I find myself thinking of Käthe Kollwitz when I look at this. Both artists share this idea that the means to make an image are as important as the image itself, and I find that idea incredibly powerful. After all, art is a conversation.