Portret van Jan Toorop Possibly 1887 - 1953

Albert Hahn made this portrait of Jan Toorop, and it's all about lines, hatching, and cross-hatching that create form. You can almost feel the artist, Hahn, etching away, lost in the details of Toorop's intense gaze and wild hair. I imagine Hahn really trying to capture Toorop’s essence. What was he thinking as he rendered each strand of hair? Was he trying to get a sense of the inner life of this person? The weight and tension are all in the lines, how they build up, darken, and create a sense of depth. It reminds me of other portrait drawings I've seen, where the artist is really trying to get at something beyond just a likeness. It’s like they're searching for the soul.