Hoofd van Boeddha 1943

Reijer Stolk made this serene image of the Buddha’s head, with earthy browns and precise lines, sometime before 1945. Imagine Stolk in his studio, carefully carving out the image, a slow meditative process in itself. I wonder, what was Stolk thinking about when he made this? The face is so still, so centered. And that little circle right there in the middle of the forehead, like a portal to another world. It reminds me of Agnes Martin's quiet grids, but with a touch of Eastern spirituality. Look how the lines define the features, barely there but so precise. It’s like he’s trying to capture not just a likeness, but a feeling, an essence of calm. Artists, like Stolk, are always looking, searching, and sharing with us their inner visions.