Portret van een vrouw met ontbloot bovenlijf 1917

This is ‘Portret van een vrouw met ontbloot bovenlijf’ made by Huib Luns. It’s a print, so it’s not painting, but you can still see how the artist has used the medium to explore ideas of portraiture, expression, and form. There’s something both very modern and very classical about this portrait. The colour is gorgeous! A sort of monochromatic burnt orange that feels warm and inviting. I imagine Luns carefully preparing his plate, thinking about how each mark would translate into the final image. I wonder what kind of woman he was imagining, and what they talked about? The texture almost looks like an aged fresco. What I like most is how Luns is pushing against traditional forms, inviting us to see with fresh eyes. The portrait becomes a site of conversation—not just with other artists, but with us, the viewers. It's all about embodied expression that embraces ambiguity and multiple readings. That's what makes it so alive!