Betsie bij het raam c. 1920

This is a portrait of Betsie by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, made with pencil on paper. Look at the gentle gradations of tone, how the artist coaxes a face and form out of such simple means! I can imagine the artist, perhaps in his own home, capturing a quiet moment of contemplation. It’s a scene observed, a moment suspended. There’s a tenderness and an intimacy in the depiction of Betsie. See how Mesquita captures the texture of her hair with a flurry of delicate lines. The way he renders the soft light falling across her face, the subtle nuances of shadow and highlight that give her features depth and volume. The window, framed by foliage, is a little world in itself, a space for reverie. This work reminds us of the importance of drawing as a fundamental practice for artists. A way to observe, to understand, and to translate the world around us into something meaningful and beautiful. It invites us to pause, to reflect, and to appreciate the quiet beauty of everyday moments.