Studieblad met bovenarm, schouder en torso 1915

Jan Toorop made this study of an upper arm, shoulder, and torso with a pencil, at an unknown date. It's like a little puzzle of anatomy, isn't it? See how Toorop explores with line and shading? Look at the density of marks around the shoulder and arm. The layering creates volume, while the torso remains more open and airy, just a suggestion of form. I love how he uses these different approaches together on one page. It feels like he's thinking through the body, not just depicting it. It makes me think of Matisse’s drawings—the way he could conjure so much with just a few lines. But Toorop's got this grittier, searching quality to his marks. It's a really insightful piece about the act of seeing, and how a work comes into being.