Cliff-Top Altar 1919

František Drtikol made this drawing of a Cliff-Top Altar with charcoal on paper. It feels like a memory, or a dream conjured with smudgy blacks and grays. Look at how the charcoal is applied, rubbed, and layered. The texture feels almost geological, like the slow, patient build-up of sediment over time. Is Drtikol building up the image or excavating it? Notice the way he uses the charcoal to define the edges of the altar, creating a soft, hazy outline that blurs the distinction between form and shadow. The marks are not precise, but they are purposeful. It’s almost as if Drtikol wants us to feel the weight of the stone, the rough texture of the cliff face, and the mystery of the altar itself. This kind of work reminds me a little of Odilon Redon, who also knew how to make black and white sing with eerie beauty. Like Redon, Drtikol uses the simplicity of his materials to create a space for imagination, to suggest something beyond the literal. It’s a reminder that art is not just about what we see, but about what we feel.