Portret van Jan Kalf 1922

Willy Sluiter made this drawing of Jan Kalf with chalk, sometime in the 20th century. The artist has rendered the portrait in delicate strokes of grey on an off-white paper. Just look at the concentrated energy in those lines! It's almost as if Sluiter put everything into capturing Kalf's gaze, right? The confidence of the lines makes me think of other artists like Matisse who worked so economically, always seeking simplicity. I can imagine the artist's hand moving quickly across the page, capturing the likeness of the sitter, but also something of his spirit. There’s a liveliness to it, a sense of immediacy. It’s just chalk on paper, but it's a way of seeing, thinking, and feeling. Ultimately, that's what connects artists across time.