Corsicaanse vrouw 1921

Lodewijk Schelfhout made this drawing of a Corsican woman sometime between 1900 and 1943, probably with charcoal or graphite. It’s got a cool, muted palette, mostly monochrome, giving it a timeless feel. I can imagine Schelfhout, carefully building up those tones, layer upon layer, maybe stepping back, squinting, and then going back in with more detail. The woman’s face is striking, with strong light and shadow that gives her features real depth. I wonder if he was trying to capture a certain mood or emotion, maybe something about her inner life? And those hands—they’re so expressive. They remind me of other artists such as Käthe Kollwitz, who also knew how to use simple materials to communicate complex feelings. There’s this quiet intensity in her expression that makes you want to know more. Artists are always borrowing from each other, remixing ideas across time. It’s like a big, ongoing conversation!