Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1878 - 1931

Heinrich Krabbé made this portrait of an unknown woman with watercolour and graphite, and I think it's interesting how he uses the colours. It's like he's not trying to make it pop, but more like he's letting the colours settle into each other, almost like they're having a conversation. There's something about the texture in this portrait that really grabs me. It's not just about how smooth or rough the surface is, but how the paint seems to have been coaxed into existence. Look at how Krabbé handles the shadow under her chin, or the way he suggests the folds in her clothes with just a few strokes. These little details are like whispers, inviting us to lean in and really see. It reminds me of Vuillard's interiors, where every object seems to hold a secret, and the overall effect is one of quiet intimacy. Ultimately, art is about questioning, not answering.