Indonesisch beeldhouwwerk op tafel 1887 - 1924

Julie de Graag rendered this drawing of an Indonesian sculpture on paper, sometime before 1924. I love the soft and tentative approach here, it feels like she’s feeling her way into the subject, as if the sculpture revealed itself to her slowly. The texture in this artwork is really interesting, isn’t it? The way the artist uses the medium to create a sense of depth and form, especially on the patterned surface of the sculpture. The lines feel almost etched in places. Look at the drapery, see the use of soft, blended charcoal to create a sense of volume and weight, and how this contrasts with the sharp, precise lines used to define the sculpture itself. It makes me think of Odilon Redon's charcoal drawings, a similar dreamlike quality. Ultimately, art is about seeing, thinking, and feeling, all at the same time, and de Graag does that for me here.