Character study 1906

This character study was made by Ferdinand Hodler in 1906, using what looks like ink on paper. What strikes me is the directness of the line. Hodler's contour is all we get to describe this figure, but look how deftly the marks suggest weight, volume, and feeling. The lines are not uniform – some are bold and confident, others waver and fade, especially in the area of the chest. It makes me think about touch, and how an artist can use the simplest means to evoke presence. There's a vulnerability in the hands covering the chest, and a kind of questioning in the face. Hodler was interested in expressing universal human experiences in his work, and it's clear in this simple drawing that he was searching for something beyond mere physical likeness. Think of Rodin, and the way he used drawing to think through form in three dimensions. For both artists, the medium of drawing becomes a space for exploration, and for embracing ambiguity.