Reproductie van een getekend portret van Lambertus Jacobus Veen after 1915

This is a reproduction of a portrait made with pencil, or some kind of graphic medium, by an anonymous artist. Looking at the marks, I feel the artist has really labored on this. I wonder if they were working from a photograph? I am struck by the feeling of grey and the subtle tonal variations. Look at the linear hatching and cross-hatching that models the form of the face! Each stroke has a purpose, building up the shadows and contours with patience. I bet this anonymous artist was really thinking about the Old Masters, the way they captured light and shadow with such precision! They may have been trying to channel that same sense of timelessness and gravitas. It is amazing to see how artists throughout history keep returning to these fundamental questions of representation, each adding their own unique touch to the ongoing conversation.