Fotoreproductie van een tekening, voorstellende een portret van Hendrik Nobbe door Johannes Cornelis Mertens c. 1887 - 1970

This is a photographic reproduction of a drawing by Johannes Cornelis Mertens of Hendrik Nobbe, made with reproductive media on paper. It's all about line, and the way it can be used to create form, tone, and texture. Look at the way the lines are used to create the shadows on Nobbe's face. See how they're denser in some areas than others? It's like the artist is sculpting the face with line. And then there's the way the lines are used to create the texture of the hat and jacket. The artist is really playing with the materiality of the drawing, using the lines to create a sense of depth and volume. This reminds me a bit of the drawings of Lucian Freud, another artist who was obsessed with line and its ability to capture the human form. But where Freud's lines are often harsh and unforgiving, these lines are softer, more forgiving. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation, an exchange of ideas across time. And it’s a reminder that there's always more than one way to see the world.