Hoofd van vrouw met een bril en een hoofddoek 1659

This is Moses ter Borch's "Head of a Woman with Glasses and a Headscarf," a drawing in black chalk. The first thing that strikes you is the interplay of light and shadow, achieved through the varying pressure of the chalk. This is particularly evident in the headscarf, where the folds are suggested by subtle gradations of tone. The drawing is an exercise in reduction, where the artist captures the essence of his subject with minimal detail. Take note of how the spectacles are rendered with just a few strokes, yet they immediately convey a sense of character. In a way, Ter Borch is deconstructing the traditional portrait, moving away from surface representation and towards something more abstract. The sketch favors capturing the internal state of the sitter over mere external likeness. This reflects a broader shift in artistic thinking, towards exploring subjectivity and the ephemeral nature of perception.