Portret van Johan Drabbe 1903 - 1928

Editor: So this is Jan Toorop's "Portrait of Johan Drabbe," created sometime between 1903 and 1928. It’s a pencil drawing, and I find it so delicate and yet also incredibly detailed, especially the hair. What jumps out at you when you look at this? Curator: I’m drawn to the materiality of it, the directness of the pencil on paper. Think about Toorop's access to those materials. This isn’t just a portrait; it's a record of a process, a moment in the production and consumption of portraiture itself. It shows the means of production, unlike an oil painting. Do you consider the socio-economic conditions which dictated who could access what materials? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered the pencil itself as being so central to the meaning. I guess I just assumed…everyone had pencils? Curator: Not necessarily. Even the simplest of tools have a history of accessibility and production. Look at the varying line weights and densities created with the pencil. It isn’t just about Drabbe; it’s about Toorop's skill, and what it meant to create art – even seemingly "simple" art – at the turn of the century. And pencil drawings became increasingly collectible items themselves. Do you think it challenges traditional distinctions of ‘high art’ considering it's a drawing and not a painting? Editor: Definitely. Focusing on the *how* and *why* makes me see past the surface-level image and consider the broader cultural implications. I think this makes pencil drawings become just as valid and potentially profound as other fine art forms. Curator: Exactly. Hopefully you can now see beyond the face of Drabbe, and more towards the means and history.