Portret van Jan Toorop 1899

Hendrik Johannes Haverman made this portrait of Jan Toorop using graphite on paper. Here, the very directness of drawing is telling. Graphite, a form of carbon, is of course associated with the industrial revolution. It's the stuff of everyday pencils and the marks we make with them – casual notations, mathematical calculations, architectural renderings. But as a medium for portraiture, it has a different feel altogether. There is nothing painterly or idealized about this image. The artist's work is plainly visible in the cross-hatching that models Toorop's face and hair. Haverman has not tried to conceal the labor involved, the accumulation of many small, intentional marks. In this way, the artist brings a critical eye to his subject. This portrait isn't just about Toorop's likeness, it is about labor, class, and the making of a modern identity. The emphasis on material and process encourages us to look beyond the surface and consider the broader social context in which the portrait was created.