Reclining Nude with Outstretched Left Arm 1903 - 1904

Here we have Gustav Klimt’s ‘Reclining Nude with Outstretched Left Arm’ made using pencil on paper. It's all about the gesture, the trace of the body. What strikes me is the quiet energy of the drawing, it's so unassuming. Klimt's line is tentative but confident, mapping the contours of the model's body with minimal fuss. It’s like he’s feeling his way around the form, letting the pencil lead him. See how the lines vary in weight, some barely there, others more pronounced, especially around the head and torso. There's a looseness to the drawing, an openness that I find really appealing. It's not about perfection but about capturing the essence of the pose. The way the outstretched arm tapers off into nothingness, it’s almost like the body is dissolving into the ground, as if he is taking inspiration from Rodin, thinking about the body in space. The drawing reminds us that art-making is always a process of discovery, never a finished product.