Toni met sigaar 1977

Rein Dool made this lithograph, Toni met sigaar, sometime in the twentieth century. The way he's built up the image with these tiny strokes, it reminds me that artmaking is all about a million little decisions. Up close, you can almost feel the grit of the lithographic crayon on the stone. Look at how Dool uses the hatching to create a sense of depth, especially around the eyes and cheekbones. It's like he's sculpting the face with light and shadow, isn't it? Then there's the hand, such a contrast to the face, rendered with these light, airy lines. It's like he's playing with different realities, the solid versus the ethereal. Dool has a real knack for quiet intensity, a bit like Lucian Freud, but with a touch more tenderness. Anyway, what do I know, maybe it's all just smoke and mirrors!