Portret van een Soendanese man c. 1921

Willem Witsen made this drawing of a Sundanese man using black crayon on paper. The strokes are sparse but intentional, capturing the essence of the sitter with a few lines. Consider the directness of the medium, which is not about intricate detail but about conveying form and expression swiftly. The application of crayon allows for rich blacks and subtle gradations, which Witsen uses to give depth to the man's features, while also hinting at the broader colonial context in which this image was created. The work's apparent simplicity belies the artist's skill in suggesting a likeness with minimal effort, blurring the lines between a preliminary sketch and a finished portrait. This challenges our conventional understanding of what constitutes a valuable work of art, emphasizing the importance of the artist's touch.