Chemineau 1935

Georges Rouault made this stark image of a figure carrying a heavy load, sometime in the mid-20th century, using ink and possibly gouache. What strikes me is how Rouault’s process, the way he puts marks on the page, is so out in the open. Look at how the lines aren’t just outlines, they are thick, almost architectural, really holding the form. The white spaces get just as much attention as the black. See the figure’s back, how the artist uses the white to suggest volume, but also to flatten the space. The medium isn't concealed, it's embraced. It's not hard to imagine Rouault, maybe hunched over a table, really going at it with a brush or even a rag, pushing the ink around. The strokes are so bold. You see this kind of raw directness in the work of someone like Paula Modersohn-Becker. Both artists aren't afraid to let the messiness of making become part of the message. Art isn't always about perfection, sometimes it's about the struggle, the weight, and the beauty in bearing it.