Portrait of Frank Brangwyn 1923

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made this drawing of Frank Brangwyn with what looks like a brown crayon or maybe it's ink, who knows? What I like about this piece is the energy in those lines, like a scribble that captures a likeness. The texture of the paper seems quite rough, almost like sandpaper, providing a good key for the medium to stick, and offering a visual equivalent to the roughness of Brangwyn’s beard. The colour is consistent throughout, but Steinlen varies the weight and pressure of his mark making to add depth and volume to the image. Check out the eyes, they are really popping due to the thickness of the line around them. It reminds me of some drawings by Philip Guston, where it's all about the process, the immediacy of the mark, and the energy of the line and shape. This piece is all about suggestions rather than conclusions, leaving it open to different readings, inviting your imagination into the mix.