Valmue 1911

J.A. Jerichau drew this poppy – Valmue in Danish – with pencil on paper. Look at how the lines hatch and cross, building up the form of the flower. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page, carefully observing and translating the delicate petals into a network of marks. I wonder what Jerichau was thinking as they made this drawing. The poppy seems so still and quiet, yet the marks themselves are full of energy. I imagine them sitting there, maybe in a garden, sunlight dappling the flower as they try to capture its essence. There’s something so direct and intimate about a drawing like this, it’s like we’re seeing the world through the artist’s eyes. It reminds me of other artists who find beauty in simple things. These kinds of works teach me to slow down and really look, to appreciate the subtle beauty all around us. Each artist is in dialogue with those who came before, each mark echoing through time.