Portret van een schrijvende doctor Paul Kempeneers 1929

This drawing of Doctor Paul Kempeneers, writing in his office at Radio Belgique, was made in Brussels on June 1st, 1929, by Otto Verhagen. It's done in pencil, and you can see Verhagen thinking through the lines, finding the face as he goes. It’s all about the process, like a jazz solo where the notes are just stepping stones. Looking closely, the hatching that defines the form of the face is really beautiful. It feels like Verhagen is sculpting with light and shadow, those lines capturing not just what he sees, but also how he understands the structure beneath the skin. See how the marks around the eye are darker and denser, giving real depth and focus? And the way the light bounces off the glasses? It’s like he's chasing the light, trying to pin down this fleeting moment. This reminds me a little of David Hockney’s approach to portraiture, that same playful investigation. It’s like Verhagen is saying, “Here’s a man, here’s a moment, but it’s all just an approximation.”