Twee studies van prinses Juliana 1910

Thérèse Schwartze made these two studies of Princess Juliana with chalk on paper. The marks are so tentative, full of searching. It feels like Schwartze is thinking through the medium. I'm drawn to the texture of the chalk, how it sits on the paper. You can almost feel the give of the material, like she’s caressing the image into being. The colors are muted, mostly greys and blues, but then there’s this pop of orange in the upper study – a small ball clutched in the princess’s hand. That one spot of vibrancy anchors the whole composition. And the erasure marks! They tell a story of revision, of finding the form through a process of trial and error. Looking at this work, I'm reminded of Paula Modersohn-Becker, another artist who was interested in the quiet intimacy of everyday life. Both artists share a similar sensibility. They teach us that art doesn't always have to shout to be heard. Sometimes, it's the softest whispers that resonate the most.