Rug van een naakte figuur 1906 - 1945

This drawing, "Rug van een naakte figuur" by Reijer Stolk, offers a glimpse into the intimate act of art-making through simple pencil lines on paper. I love drawings like this, they show you the artist working through something, searching for the form. Here, the texture of the paper is almost as important as the marks themselves. The way the pencil catches on the tooth of the page creates a subtle, almost dreamlike quality. Stolk's lines are tentative, searching, and alive with a sense of movement. Look at the small cluster of circles and a leaf in the upper part of the drawing - a moment of playful abstraction. It might be nothing, or it might be the key to the whole thing. Stolk’s drawing reminds me of some of Matisse's contour drawings, where line alone is enough to suggest form and volume. Like Matisse, Stolk seems less interested in precise representation than in capturing the essence of the figure. Ultimately, this work reminds us that art is not about answers, but about questions.