Alter Mann von vorne, in die Höhe blickend 

Jacob Jordaens created this drawing of an old man, his head viewed from the front and tilted upwards. The work immediately strikes us with its concentration on the play of light and shadow, achieved through Jordaens’s masterful use of line and color. Notice how he uses red and grey chalk to give depth to the man’s face and beard, contrasting the warm tones of his skin with the cooler shades that define the contours and wrinkles. The upward gaze of the subject introduces a sense of aspiration or questioning, subtly inviting us to contemplate beyond the immediate material reality. Jordaens seems less interested in perfect anatomical representation and more focused on capturing the emotional and spiritual essence of his subject. The lines, though seemingly simple, carry a weight of meaning that invites our continued contemplation.