Portret van Thérèse, van opzij gezien 1858 - 1859

Editor: Here we have "Portret van Thérèse, van opzij gezien," or "Portrait of Thérèse, seen from the side," made between 1858 and 1859 by Johannes Tavenraat. It's a delicate pencil drawing, and there's something very poised about her profile, but also a sense of transience, almost like she's about to turn away. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, Thérèse! To me, this drawing is like catching a fleeting thought. Tavenraat has captured not just a likeness, but a certain... vibration, wouldn't you agree? I wonder about their relationship – was she a lover, a sister, a muse? You can sense an intimacy, even in this simple sketch. The quick, almost scribbled lines give it such immediacy, it feels like we’re intruding on a private moment. Tell me, does her gaze seem to be directed outward, or perhaps turned inward? Editor: It's hard to tell, but it definitely makes me think she's looking inward, lost in thought perhaps? Curator: Precisely! And that’s where the magic lies. In a time when portraiture was about presenting a public persona, Tavenraat offers us a glimpse behind the curtain, a whisper of the interior life. You know, I imagine him sketching her while she reads or dreams – perhaps they sat together in comfortable silence. It reminds me of charcoal sketches of poets and composers by Rossetti. Editor: That's fascinating. It definitely makes me appreciate the sketch on a whole different level! Thanks! Curator: And thank you for sharing your initial thoughts. Art like this whispers, and it needs sensitive ears to be heard. Keep listening and I promise it’ll always tell you something new!