Jacqueline Royaards-Sandberg 1877 - 1928

Cornelis Spoor made this drawing of Jacqueline Royaards-Sandberg, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, with what looks like a graphite pencil. Look at the marks that build up the form. See how the artist has scumbled the pencil to create these soft tonal shifts that suggests light and volume. I love the way the lace collar is described through the build up of these marks. I can imagine the artist thinking—how can I make the lightest, most delicate, almost imperceptible mark? Spoor is part of a much longer conversation with artists like Degas and Manet, who were also interested in the human figure, but each brings their own sensibility and mark making. Drawing is this intimate, thoughtful practice. It's so direct, there’s no hiding!