Portret van Wilhelmina, koningin der Nederlanden 1885 - 1949

This portrait of Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, is an anonymous work that presents a real dance of marks. It's all done with a restricted palette of blacks, whites, and grays, but look at the way the artist coaxes out the form. I’m really struck by the tactile quality here – the way the cross-hatching creates a sense of volume. In particular, the dress feels so substantial; you can almost feel the fabric. And the background looks like it’s made up of many tiny marks. It reminds me that artmaking is a process, and even what seems simple involves a lot of decisions. It makes me think of Paula Modersohn-Becker, with her frank and honest approach to portraiture. There’s a similar unpretentiousness here. It's a nice reminder that art is always in conversation, and that there is something to be learned from every mark, every gesture, every attempt to capture something real.