Forstudie til portræt af maleren og grafikeren Søren Hjorth Nielsen 1936

John Christensen made this portrait study of Søren Hjorth Nielsen using colored chalks. Imagine Christensen working on this, maybe in a slightly smoky studio, trying to capture the essence of another artist. The strokes of chalk are so visible, creating a texture that’s almost like a gentle hum. See how the blues and greens in the background give way to the warm browns and reds of the figure, it's like Christensen is feeling out the space, figuring out how to make Nielsen pop. I wonder if Christensen was thinking about the weight of Nielsen's gaze, or maybe just trying to get the light on his face right. It reminds me of other portrait painters who are in constant conversation with each other, trying new ways to see and represent the people around them. This piece feels like a quiet moment, a pause in the ongoing dialogue between artists.