Oudere vrouw met een schotel in de hand 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this drawing of an older woman with a saucer, probably in the early 20th century. I love these sorts of sketches. You can just feel the artist working, trying to capture the essence of the figure with the bare minimum of marks. Look at the tentative lines that describe the woman's face, the way the artist has gone over some lines again and again, searching for the right form. I bet Stolk was standing very close to the sitter to capture such an intimate and sympathetic image. It feels immediate and personal. And then there’s that second, fainter head to the right, as if he was trying out another version. I can imagine the artist thinking about how light falls on a face, trying to understand not just what she looks like, but who she is. A kind of tenderness comes through. It reminds me of other artists who captured quiet moments of everyday life. And it all starts with simple marks on paper!