Girls by the Fireplace 1909

Pekka Halonen made this drawing of two young girls in front of a brick fireplace, probably with charcoal. The image emerges from a web of fine lines, almost like he’s feeling his way through the darkness of the room. I wonder what Halonen was thinking as he drew. He seems to be mapping the feeling of warmth and companionship on a cold day, rather than trying to create a clear picture. Look at the way he renders the brick wall: it's not so much a wall as a visual echo of the gentle scratchiness of the charcoal itself. The artist seems to be looking for something he can't quite grasp. It reminds me how we, as artists, are always building on the work of those who came before. Each stroke is a conversation with art history, a nod to shared struggles and triumphs. When we embrace ambiguity, we open up a space where viewers can bring their own experiences and interpretations to the work. It's like we're creating a shared language.