De doove concertbezoeker 1923

This portrait, made with pencil on paper by Erich Wichmann, conjures a world of quiet contemplation. Soft, smudged lines form the figure’s head and beard, giving it a ghostly, almost dreamlike quality. I wonder what Wichmann was thinking, making this image? I imagine him sketching rapidly in the dim light, capturing the essence of this concert-goer, who can't hear the music. There is a gentle humanity in the marks that makes me think of other portraitists, like Lucian Freud, who look closely at people with an unflinching gaze. I wonder what the concert was like? The subtle gradations of tone and texture, from the smooth paper to the granular pencil strokes, invite us to consider the act of looking and feeling. And it’s interesting to think about this drawing as a conversation between artists across time, each responding to the human form with their own unique vision and touch. It reminds us that art isn't just about what we see, but how we feel and connect with the world around us.