Hoofd van een jongen met lang haar c. 1661

Moses ter Borch created this drawing of a boy's head with black chalk on grey paper. The immediate impression is one of soft, diffused light, achieved through delicate lines and subtle shading. The composition is focused, bringing the viewer into an intimate engagement with the boy. Ter Borch's strategic use of line directs our attention; notice how the flowing lines create the boy's long hair, contrasting with the firmer, shorter strokes defining his facial features. This contrast is not merely aesthetic but reflects a deeper structural interplay between the softness of youth and the emerging definition of character. The rough texture of the chalk on paper adds depth, suggesting an unfinished quality. Ter Borch invites us to consider how representation is constructed, and how meaning arises through the interplay of form and perception.