Reclining Female Nude 1906 - 1945

This Reclining Female Nude was made by Reijer Stolk using graphite on paper. Look closely at how the figure is built up with these tiny, almost frantic, marks. It’s like he’s feeling his way around the form, one tiny stroke at a time. You can almost see Stolk’s hand moving across the page, building up the shadows and curves. The graphite has this soft, almost powdery quality. It’s not about sharp lines, but more about how light plays across the surface. The shading gives weight and form to the body, but there’s this dreamy, ethereal feel to it as well. Check out the way he's rendered the hair, a mass of swirling lines, it almost looks like a storm cloud. It’s a beautiful example of how a simple drawing can capture both the physical and the emotional. It reminds me a bit of Klimt's drawings – that same focus on line and form, that same sensuality. But Stolk has this rawness that’s all his own. It’s like he’s inviting us to see the world through his eyes, one delicate mark at a time.