Portret van de schilder Jozef Israëls 1874 - 1925

Jan Veth created this portrait of the painter Jozef Israëls using charcoal and chalk on paper. These are, on one hand, traditional fine art materials, accessible and relatively inexpensive. Yet we might also think of them as being related to the world of labor. Think of the association of charcoal with the Industrial Revolution, or the use of chalk in garment-making. Veth makes full use of the directness and immediacy of drawing to produce a likeness of Israëls. The grain of the charcoal is evident in the sitter’s dark coat, contrasting with the smooth areas of chalk which describe his hair. This gives a sense of the artist’s hand at work, and perhaps the sitter's as well. After all, Jozef Israëls was known for his commitment to depicting the lives of working-class people. Ultimately, materials, making, and context are crucial for understanding art fully. They push us to reconsider conventional boundaries between fine art and craft.