Kneeling Warrior – I 1914

Lovis Corinth made this sketch of a ‘Kneeling Warrior’ with ink on paper, and you can feel the hand of the artist in every stroke. The way he’s built up the figure with these energetic, almost frantic lines, speaks to a process of discovery, of trying to capture a fleeting image or idea. The physical quality of the ink is interesting here. It's neither thick nor thin, but somewhere in between. It creates a texture that feels immediate, like you’re right there in the studio with Corinth as he works. Look at the lines around the warrior's face and helmet, they are so expressive and full of movement that they almost vibrate off the page. This piece reminds me a little of Rodin's drawings, in the sense of trying to capture movement. Ultimately it points to the idea that art isn't about perfect representation, but about the energy and process of seeing.