Portret van Emilia Spoor-van Wickevoirt Crommelin 1877 - 1928

Cornelis Spoor made this portrait of Emilia Spoor-van Wickevoirt Crommelin with pencil on paper. It’s all about the process here, right? The making of this image is so present, so evident. There's this amazing tension between the very delicate, almost tentative lines, and the sureness of the overall form. Look at how the shading around her face and hair is built up with these tiny, flickering marks. It's like Spoor is feeling his way around the contours, slowly bringing her into being. Then, BAM, you get these bolder, more decisive strokes defining her dress and the background. That contrast gives the piece this incredible energy. For me, it's like glimpsing into the artist’s mind. This reminds me of work by Käthe Kollwitz, where the raw, expressive lines convey a deep emotional intensity. Art is just an ongoing conversation, right? A constant exchange of ideas and approaches.