Twee portretten van Roosje

Jan Brandes made these two portraits of Roosje with a reddish pencil on paper in the late 18th or early 19th century. The material qualities of the red pencil allow for soft, subtle shading, especially good for capturing the likeness of Roosje. Brandes skillfully uses hatching and cross-hatching, building up tone and texture to define the contours of her face and the folds of the cloth draped around her. The red chalk lends a warmth to the drawing, making the images feel intimate and immediate. Brandes was a clergyman, artist and traveler for the Dutch East India Company, which operated as a trading corporation that yielded a colonial impact. In this context, the drawing invites us to consider the power dynamics at play. Paper was a precious commodity at this time. The ease and speed of drawing allowed Brandes to quickly capture Roosje’s likeness, but also raises ethical questions about the representation of individuals within the unequal system of colonial trade.