Hoofd van een farao c. 1890 - 1922

Here is "Head of a Pharaoh," drawn by Johanna van de Kamer, using what looks like graphite on paper. The artist starts with faint and tentative lines, feeling her way around this regal profile. I love how the sharp and delicate lines capture the regal headwear with its intricate detailing. I can imagine Van de Kamer poring over ancient artifacts or illustrations, trying to capture the essence of Egyptian art in her own style. What was she thinking as she rendered these wings, each line carefully placed to suggest texture and form? What other artists might she have been looking at? Did she want to honor the past? Did she want to make it new? Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and place. Each one builds on what came before, adding their own unique voice to the mix, like a choir echoing through the ages. I'm inspired by the way she embraced the unknown, allowing the image to emerge slowly, line by line, in her own way.