Portret van Jacob Heinrich Krelage 1896 - 1936

Theodorus Henricus Kerstel drew this portrait of Jacob Heinrich Krelage with graphite on paper. I love the energy of the mark-making, the hatching and cross-hatching give the whole thing a sort of palpable vibration. You can really feel the artist at work, and the portrait comes alive. Up close, you can see how the density of the marks describes the form. Look at the suit jacket, for example, and how those diagonal lines almost feel like they're wrapping around his body. Then check out the face, the subtle gradations that give Jacob his character and presence. The tooth of the paper grabs the graphite, creating a soft but defined image. It reminds me a little of some of those drawings by Van Gogh, the way he used line to build up form and atmosphere. It’s like a conversation between artists across time, each finding their own way to make a mark. Ultimately, art is like that, an ongoing experiment with different ways of seeing and feeling.