Kvindehoved med kasket i profil mod venstre 1923

Harald Giersing made this drawing of a woman's head with a cap in profile, facing left, using pencil on paper. The artist's hand moved deftly, creating a portrait that's both intimate and a little bit mysterious. I wonder what Giersing was thinking as he rendered the subtle shadows around her jawline? The weight of the pencil creates depth. The cap has a kind of architectural quality about it, doesn't it? Like a building. It reminds me of the way Cézanne used to build up forms with careful strokes. Drawing is a process of inquiry, of feeling one's way through the dark. When an artist picks up a pencil, they are engaging in a conversation with the history of art, echoing the marks of those who came before.