Hoofd en bovenlichaam van een naakte man 1906 - 1945

This drawing, Head and Torso of a Nude Man, was made by Reijer Stolk, but the date is unknown. Isn’t it amazing how a few pencil lines can conjure a whole person? I can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper, trying to capture the essence of their subject. The hatching marks create a kind of shimmering surface, like light playing across skin. I wonder what Stolk was thinking as he drew? Was he focused on anatomical accuracy, or something more ephemeral? The pose feels a little vulnerable, a little withdrawn. Did he know this person? Was it a quick sketch, or did they spend a long time together? You can really feel the human element, here. It’s like he’s trying to get to something very deep, a sensitivity that I think many artists pursue. We painters, we’re always in conversation with each other, across time and space, you know? Stolk's drawing reminds me of a lot of other artists’ drawings. It's the way artists learn from each other, how we build on each other's discoveries.