A study of Käthe Kollwitz’s Whetting the Scythe – pencil and charcoal. I lost concentration here when doing the initial sketching out and have ended up with an elongated composition – the original is roughy square. The composition is striking – the arms following the forms of the handle and blade – the face partially obscured – the dramatic up-lighting. The hands are sinewy, muscular. With the mouth hidden, the face is inscrutable – is she determined? steely? fearful? – the eyes don’t give much away.
