Studies van hoofden 1869 - 1941

Johannes Abraham Mondt made this drawing, Studies van hoofden, on paper, we don’t know exactly when. It’s a collection of people, their faces captured in different moods and angles. It's all about line, the artist thinking on paper. Look at the top hat man in the middle. See how the lines are scratchy but confident? There is a real sense of immediacy. It feels like Mondt was there, quickly observing and translating what he saw. I love how simple these lines are; they remind me of Philip Guston's late drawings, but with more of a focus on capturing the detail and character of his sitters. This piece is not about perfection. It's about the joy of looking and the process of making. Mondt isn't precious, just present. It’s this sense of immediacy that I find so compelling.