Intellect, van gisteren, zooals alles 1923

This intriguing little drawing called Intellect, van gisteren, zooals alles, was made with graphite on paper by Erich Wichmann. Look at the way the graphite seems to almost smudge across the page, creating a soft, hazy effect. It’s like Wichmann wasn't trying to capture a likeness, but rather, an essence, the feeling of an idea fading away. The texture created by the graphite gives the face a ghostly quality, as if it’s emerging from a fog. The lines are blurred, and the details are minimal, but there’s still a sense of depth and emotion in the simple, melancholic downward curve of the mouth. See how the eyes are just dark pools, barely defined, yet they seem to gaze out with a knowing sadness? Wichmann reminds me of other artists who embraced the ephemeral, like Odilon Redon, who similarly explored themes of dreams and inner states through soft, atmospheric renderings. Like Redon, Wichmann reminds us that art doesn’t always have to be about precision or clarity; it can also be about capturing the fleeting, elusive nature of thought and feeling.