Step Across the Stripes

About the work

A small head and rounded upper body connect to disproportionately long legs. Dark feet rest on a platform filled with closely spaced slanting stripes. A separate thin upright rises on the left. There is little internal detail: the curve of the back, the angle of the wide trousers and the difference between the two points of support establish the figure's position.

The striped base introduces a strong diagonal movement into this spare drawing. Long sloping leg contours answer it, while the upper body retains a more stable roundness. Black feet connect these different rhythms and give the figure weight. Open space around the shoulders emphasises the small head. The pose is simple, but the balance of lengths, inclinations and densities makes it both awkward and remarkably composed.