Achterzijde van een staande naakte vrouw 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this drawing of a standing nude, sometime before 1945, in ink on paper. You can see the artist working through a process of placement here, and the squared grid underneath the image suggests a study or preparation for a larger composition. I’m drawn to the way the ink has bled and pooled in certain areas. It’s as if the figure is emerging from the very substance of the paper. The light washes create a sense of depth and atmosphere, but there's an almost ethereal quality to the figure, heightened by the limited palette. Look at the figure's head and shoulders: the ink is concentrated in these areas, lending a weight and definition. Then notice how the ink bleeds down the side of her body, dissolving into a soft, almost transparent wash. There’s something very contemporary about the incompleteness of this study. I am reminded of the work of Egon Schiele, particularly in the tension between delicate lines and raw, expressive energy. Like all art, this drawing is a conversation that continues to evolve through our own perceptions and experiences.