Beeldhouwer en zijn beeld 1881 - 1948

Herman Heijenbrock made this drawing, "Sculptor and His Sculpture," using what looks like charcoal or graphite on paper. It’s a study in grey tones, where everything seems to emerge from a smoky haze. Look at the sculptor's smock, how it merges with the background! It is built up with so many tiny, energetic marks, and they give a sense of the studio's atmosphere. The texture of the paper seems to grab at the charcoal, leaving this amazing gritty effect, almost sculptural in itself. And then there's that little figure in the background, barely there, but it adds a whole other dimension. This piece reminds me of the early work of Alberto Giacometti, who was also preoccupied with representing figures in an industrial setting and the relationship between the artist and model. Ultimately, Heijenbrock's drawing captures not just a scene but also the act of creation itself, a moment of transformation, where the sculptor breathes life into stone.