Portret van August Allebé 1924

Here we have a drawing of August Allebé, made with pencil by Bernard Willem Wierink. Look at the layering of strokes creating tone and form, it's like Wierink is feeling out the contours of his subject's face, tentatively building up the image. I find it so interesting how the soft shading brings out the texture of the paper, giving it a kind of presence, like skin. See how the lines around the eye build up a delicate but heavy brow, and the way the strokes define the strong bridge of the nose? It's a sensitive, almost sculptural approach, full of care. This portrait reminds me a little of the early drawings of Lucian Freud, they share a similar understated intensity. Like Freud, Wierink’s image embraces a certain ambiguity, inviting us to fill in the gaps and complete the story. It’s not about definitive answers, but about the ongoing conversation between the artist, the subject, and us, the viewers.