Portret van een onbekend meisje 1907

Frederik Salberg made this portrait of an unknown girl with pencil on paper. The delicate touch of the pencil and the limited palette create a sense of intimacy and quiet observation. Looking closely, the texture of the paper becomes part of the image, giving it a tactile quality. See how the light seems to catch on the surface, almost as if the drawing is breathing. The artist's hand is so evident in the hatching that forms the shadows and volumes. There’s a spot just above her eye, where the pencil lines are darker, more insistent, giving the eye a particular depth and focus. It’s in moments like these that the drawing comes alive, feels less like a representation and more like an encounter. You might relate the way the artist captures a likeness with only a few pencil marks to the work of Whistler or Degas. It reminds us that art is about seeing, feeling, and the never-ending conversation between artists across time.