Portret van een oude man 1884

Nicolaas van der Waay rendered this portrait of an old man with graphite on paper. Notice the intricate network of lines that bring the figure to life, particularly around the face and beard, creating a sense of depth and texture. The monochromatic palette focuses our attention on the gradations of tone and the play of light and shadow. The artist’s mark-making ranges from delicate hatching to more assertive strokes, building a complex surface that invites close inspection. This technique moves beyond mere representation; it emphasizes the very act of drawing. The sketchy quality suggests a moment captured, an immediacy that connects us to the artist’s process. Consider the composition, how the head is centered but not rigidly so, allowing for a dynamic asymmetry. The use of line destabilizes a fixed meaning, encouraging us to interpret the sitter's character through the visual language of the drawing itself. The form functions aesthetically and creates an ongoing space for interpretation.