Kop van een slapende man 1878 - 1938

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst made this drawing, ‘Head of a Sleeping Man’, using graphite on paper. It’s a traditional approach, but even with such familiar materials, the way they’re used matters. Here, you can see the artist has chosen the most basic of tools, a graphite pencil, allowing for subtleties of shading and texture. The softness of the graphite lends itself to the peaceful subject matter, the powdery material leaving a delicate trace on the paper's surface. Look closely, and you'll notice the variations in pressure, creating depth and volume, particularly around the face and hair. The support is paper, which is another everyday material, yet so receptive to mark-making. There is nothing fancy about this drawing, but instead, we get a real sense of intimacy and observation. It reminds us that the means of production—whether simple or complex—are always part of the artistic message.