Zelfportret met zwarte hoed en bril 1917

Thérèse Schwartze made this self-portrait with pastel on paper in 1917. Look how Schwartze’s pastel strokes build up the form. It’s not about blending every mark into a smooth surface, it’s about letting each little touch do its thing, each contributing to the overall image. I really get a sense of the surface, the tooth of the paper, and the way the pastel sits on top. The colours are kind of muted. There are all these subtle greys, blues, and pinks. It's kind of like she's building up the image in layers, almost like a watercolour, but with this soft, chalky texture. Notice that thin blue ribbon detail around the neck? It's such a small detail, but it really pops against the pale background. There’s something about the way she captures light, the way it hits her glasses and creates this little halo effect around her head, that reminds me of Whistler, who also had a knack for making paintings that feel both intimate and a little bit mysterious.