Studie af mand, der bærer en træstamme, halvfigur 1907

Othon Friesz made this study of a man carrying a log in pencil, date unknown, and it’s now held at the Statens Museum for Kunst. Friesz was a part of the Fauvist movement in France, known for its bold use of color and expressive forms. However, in this sketch, we see a departure from that style, with a focus on the human figure and the weight of labor. The man's hunched posture and strained expression speak to the physical demands placed on working-class individuals. Made in France, it is possible to consider how it comments on the changing social structures during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The rise of industrialization and urbanization brought about new forms of labor and social inequalities. To understand this work, you might research labor conditions in France during Friesz’s lifetime and study sketches of the human figure by his contemporaries. Art history reminds us that art is deeply embedded in social life.