Jeg har ikke noget at give dig... 1901

Fritz Syberg made this drawing, "Jeg har ikke noget at give dig...", with pencil on paper. The title translates as "I have nothing to give you...", and with its sketchy lines, it definitely feels unresolved. The marks loop and tangle to create a feeling of density, like a garden overgrown. I can imagine Syberg quickly drawing what was in front of him, as he tried to capture a feeling. Maybe he was thinking about his relationship with his wife, Anna. She also was an artist. Did they help each other? The woman on the bench looks like she's thinking about something. The other woman seems to be gesturing, as if to say, look at the beautiful garden we have. But, the title implies a sense of lack, as if the artist is in search of something more meaningful or profound. Maybe that's why he left it as a drawing. Maybe he felt he had nothing more to give.