Reading in traditional costume 1944

Jozef Hanula made this tender portrait in 1944, using what looks like pastel or chalk on paper. You can see how the marks build up, layering muted browns, creams, and blues to describe the woman's face and costume. I wonder about the light in the room as Hanula worked, and if he asked her to sit still for hours. Or maybe he captured her likeness quickly, in stolen moments. I like to imagine him stepping back, squinting, and then adding a stroke of blue to the ribbon in her hair, deciding where to put the weight. Did he want to show her inner thoughts, or just her outer appearance? The way her eyes are cast down makes me think of Vermeer, but the costume is so specific and local. She's caught between worlds, just like the painting itself. Artists like Hanula, and like me, are always trying to catch something fleeting, some truth about being human, and how we see each other.