Twee studies van hoofden before 1917

Matthijs Maris made these head studies with graphite and brush in grey ink on paper. I love the ethereal quality of the drawing, especially how the figures emerge from the pale, stained surface as if they were half-formed memories. I imagine Maris, in his studio, perhaps in a moment of quiet contemplation, gently coaxing these figures into existence. The delicacy of his marks, those tentative lines, speaks to a process of searching and feeling his way through the act of drawing. The way the figures are rendered, not as concrete forms, but as impressions, reminds me a little of Whistler's tonalism. Ultimately, the beauty of this piece lies in its subtle, almost ghostly presence, inviting us to contemplate the fragile nature of representation and perception. It's a reminder that the most profound expressions often come from the quietest gestures.