Portret van de moeder van de kunstenaar 1877 - 1928

This is a portrait of the artist's mother by Cornelis Spoor, made with charcoal, or maybe conte crayon. I'm thinking about the vulnerability of portraiture and the tender dynamic of an artist representing their mother. There’s such a strong connection between the artist and sitter, with so much left unsaid. Spoor captures his mother’s likeness with an economy of strokes, a few lines sketching the mouth, nose, and brow, and he suggests the fall of light on her face. The strokes almost seem to radiate out from her face, surrounding her in a cocoon of shadow. I wonder, what was it like for Spoor to try and capture his mother’s essence? And what did she think, sitting for him? Did the charcoal smudges represent their shared history and intimacy? As artists, we all draw from one another, building on what came before and adding our own experiences. Spoor’s portrait makes me think about the ongoing conversation between artists across time.