The Artist's Wife Asleep (Visual Art Assignment)

Here is the picture that I chose: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3ADE%3AI%3A3%7CG%3AHI%3AE%3A1&page_number=750&template_id=1&sort_order=4
Observations:

• The drawing seems very soft and settled down.
• Not much going on 
• Very simple, but then simplicity can lead to many different story plots for this lady
• The head is the most focused and detailed part of the body; the arm that's in the picture doesn't seem as important, nor does the bed sheet.
• The setting isn't very specific. Its just there.
• Everything around is soft, but towards the ends of the hair it becomes more harsh, or maybe the artist just pushed his pencil harder.
• Shadowing

Inferences:

• Before reading the title of the drawing, I thought it was a woman who passed. He could be trying to save this memory so that it isn't forever gone.
• The artist could possibly trying to capture this quiet, but beautiful moment with his wife.
• Maybe the artist doesn't have much time with his wife, maybe he's just simply trying to capture this picture of his wife before she possibly leaves him.

Interpretation: Looking at this drawing, I think the message that the artist is very simple. To me, I feel like he's trying to express the beauty of his wife when she's asleep. When people are asleep, that is before the world asks or has expectations for her. Every time I look at this picture I hear a silent hum in the back. I don't know why. Its like the picture itself is very relaxing and it isn't demanding at all.