Stående model 1914 - 1915

Editor: So, this is "Stående model," created around 1914-1915 by Karl Isakson. It’s a pencil drawing, currently at the SMK in Copenhagen. It's just… so bare, you know? So immediate and unfinished. I find the lack of detail quite evocative. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's interesting you use the word "unfinished." I think of it more as a distillation. Look at how few lines Isakson uses to convey the weight, the posture. It reminds me a little of a Giacometti sculpture, actually, that incredible leanness used to convey presence. It’s from the period when he began integrating modern styles in his work – but here there are subtle, suggestive lines, and such simple geometries creating a feeling of real intimacy with the model. Do you get that feeling of intimacy? Editor: Definitely. It's as though we’re intruding, witnessing something private. That vulnerable posture… It seems at odds with the bold lines. It's this balance that grabs you, right? It is quite Giacometti-esque I agree! Curator: Yes, precisely! Isakson is stripping everything away but what is truly essential to feeling something. Those swift, certain strokes capture something so raw, and very modern – for its time - like a flash of pure being. He really captures form there - or at least the essence of form, don’t you agree? Editor: I see that. I suppose it’s easy to mistake ‘unfinished’ for ‘essence’, if you aren't taking the artists journey into account! The more minimal strokes used to emphasize and de-emphasize at the same time. It is very smart! Curator: Absolutely, that’s the marvel of a good sketch. It invites our own imaginations to complete the story. The most successful portraits don't necessarily present photographic accuracy but allow you to enter in a conversation with it - through time! Thank you! Editor: That really makes you appreciate the choices artists make about what to include, or leave out, from an artwork. What an experience.