Betsie bij het raam c. 1920

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita made this lithograph, Betsie bij het raam, with crayon, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It is a quiet and subtle drawing, built up from hundreds of tiny marks. Look closely, and you will see it is not about bold statements. Instead, it is about a patient building up of tone and atmosphere. It reminds me of the pointillist movement and artists like Seurat. Notice how the surface is activated, not smooth. The texture of the paper creates a subtle, shimmering effect. The marks are small and dense, building a sense of depth and shadow around Betsie's face, which has an enigmatic and thoughtful expression. Her attention is directed away from us, gazing out of the window. What is she thinking about? The window frames her and seems to blend into her hair in a cloud of tiny marks. Mesquita was a contemporary of artists like Jan Toorop. This piece, with its quiet intimacy, shows the artist's sensitivity, and his commitment to exploring the nuances of light and shadow. It invites us to slow down, and contemplate the beauty in the everyday.