Portretkop van Tuus c. 1892

Editor: This is "Portretkop van Tuus" made around 1892 by Julie de Graag. It’s a pencil drawing on paper, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. The delicate shading gives it such a dreamy, melancholic air. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Well, for me, it’s the immediacy of the material. We have here humble materials—paper and pencil. This work invites us to consider how De Graag, working within the constraints of these materials, created such an evocative image. The choice of pencil, and the visible strokes, speak to a deliberate process. What do you think about the artist's approach, and its accessibility compared to, say, painting with oils? Editor: I think there’s something incredibly intimate about it. You see the hand of the artist so clearly. Is it then about making a deliberate choice to move away from the pretension often linked with "high art" like oil painting, something accessible and connected to everyday life? Curator: Precisely. De Graag highlights the act of creation. Consider the labor involved, the time spent with this subject. It's not about illusionism, but about process. Moreover, we have to consider where De Graag fits historically: in the late 19th century there was growing anxiety about mechanisation replacing human skills, pencil drawings might then evoke the importance of handcraft, wouldn't you agree? Editor: That’s fascinating! So it's not just the finished image, but the very act of drawing, and its material existence, that conveys meaning. Thinking about craft and labour shifts the entire experience of viewing it! Curator: Exactly. And appreciating the labor enriches our experience beyond simply analyzing it as representation or symbolism. Editor: I never thought about it that way. Looking at the drawing now, I see it as less about portraying an image and more about valuing the artistic skill that went into its making. Thanks for making me consider materiality more closely!