Studier af rygvendte figurer 1910

J.A. Jerichau II created this ink drawing, "Studies of Figures with their Backs Turned," which is held at the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst. The composition immediately strikes you with its arrangement of multiple figures, each rendered with a focus on contour rather than detail. The uniformity in their poses, all facing away, evokes a sense of anonymity. The artist's use of line is crucial here. Jerichau employs quick, gestural strokes that define the forms, hinting at volume and weight without fully committing to them. This emphasis on the outline, combined with the repetitive nature of the figures, suggests an interest in the structural elements of human form, rather than individual identities. In this study, Jerichau is inviting us to consider the formal aspects of representation. By denying us the face, the seat of identity, the artist redirects our attention to the shape, the line, and the overall composition. Meaning is not found in the individual but in the structure, inviting endless interpretation.