Soldier Figure c. 1936

Joseph Rothenberg’s 'Soldier Figure', made on paper with graphite, feels like it emerged slowly, stroke by stroke, a quiet act of devotion. I wonder about Joseph, born in 1855. What was he thinking as he rendered this figure? There's a solemn dignity in the way he’s captured the soldier, the precision of the uniform, the set of his jaw. Look at the shading, how it defines the form with such care. You can almost feel the weight of the rifle in the soldier’s hands. It makes me think about other artists who have grappled with history, with memory. How do we make sense of the past, especially its weightier aspects? Artists are always in conversation, building upon what came before, responding, and questioning. It's a dance across time, each stroke a gesture in an ongoing dialogue. And maybe, just maybe, in looking closely, we can join that conversation too.