Figurkomposition I 1912

J.A. Jerichau (II) made this sketch, Figurkomposition I, with ink on paper. The ink is a warm sepia tone, like an old photograph. Look at how the figures are built with quick, confident lines. See how the artist uses hatching to create shadows and volume. It's all about the process, the act of seeing and responding. I’m drawn to the figure on the right. That crown of feathers is everything! It’s like a burst of energy, or like, you know, when you find that perfect shape while you're doodling and you build a whole world around it. The lines are so immediate, so unpretentious. Jerichau is maybe in conversation with a painter like Paula Modersohn-Becker, they both have this directness, this unvarnished look at the world. Art isn't about answers, it’s about keeping the conversation going.