Portrait of a Young Woman c. 1654 - 1658

Cornelis Visscher’s "Portrait of a Young Woman" is a delicate work on paper, created sometime in the mid-17th century using graphite. The artist coaxes a great deal of tonality from a seemingly simple material. Graphite lends itself to both precision and softness. Look closely, and you’ll see how Visscher builds up the image through countless tiny strokes, creating subtle gradations of light and shadow. The very act of drawing requires an intimate connection between hand, tool, and surface. There's a directness to the process. The work's graphic qualities have social significance too. Graphite is relatively inexpensive and readily available, unlike painting with oils which involved costly pigments and complex processes. Visscher’s choice of medium makes portraiture more accessible, potentially democratizing the practice and opening it up to a wider clientele. This drawing reminds us that materials and processes are never neutral. They carry cultural meaning. They reflect the economic realities of the time, shaping not only the appearance of a work, but also its social impact.