Stående, kvindelig akrobat med venstre hånd på hoften. 1906 - 1909

This drawing of a female acrobat, with her left hand jauntily placed on her hip, was made by Othon Friesz, at an unknown date. I can just picture him making this, his hand moving quickly, scratching the paper to capture her pose, the weight of her body, the assuredness of her stance. Look at the economy of line. Friesz does not fuss, but lays down the marks with confidence. The network of lines feels so alive, capturing not just the figure's form but also its energy. What might Friesz have been thinking as he drew this acrobat? Was he captivated by her strength, her grace, or maybe just the way she commanded space? I think that all artists are in an ongoing conversation, borrowing, stealing, and riffing off each other's ideas. Friesz, with this sketch, reminds me of so many artists who have tried to capture the human form in motion – maybe Degas with his dancers, or even Matisse with his bold, simple lines. There is a conversation happening across time. It’s all about mark-making as a form of embodied expression.